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Prevalence of Sleep-Related Disordered Breathing among Acromegaly Patients and its Correlation to Cephalometric Parameters: An Indian Perspective

Introduction Sleep-related breathing disorders (SRBDs) including obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and central sleep apnea (CSA) are quite common and are the leading causes of mortality in acromegaly. OSA in acromegaly is generally attributed to changes in oropharyngeal soft tissues. Data on OSA in Indian acromegaly are scant, especially cephalometric findings. The aim of this study is to evaluate the burden of SRBDs in acromegaly and its correlation to cephalometric parameters. Materials and Methods A total of 32 subjects (20 men and 12 women), diagnosed with acromegaly on the basis of standard clinical, biochemical, and hormonal measurements were recruited. In addition to the above parameters, polysomnography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the pharynx were performed in all subjects. Results The mean age of the subjects was 42.66 ± 11.13 years (range = 26–66) and mean duration of study after first presentation was 7.6 ± 6.3 years (range = 0.25–32). A total of 28 of 32 (93.3%) subjects had sellar MRI documented macroadenomas while 20 (62.5%) patients were treatment naive at the time of assessment. Twenty-nine (90.6%) patients had evidence of SRBD and all of them had OSA subtype. The Apnea–Hypopnea Index (AHI) indicating severity of OSA (mild 21.8%, moderate 34.4%, and severe 34.4%) correlated positively with tongue length, uvula length, and uvula thickness on MRI. However, AHI had no correlation with the severity of GH excess or disease activity or individual parameters such as weight, body mass index, blood pressure, hemoglobin A1c, serum human growth hormone, and insulin-like growth factor-1 level. Conclusion SRBD, the generally overlooked comorbidity, is highly prevalent in subjects with acromegaly and is almost always due to OSA, the severity of which correlates positively with tongue and uvula size. Well-designed, long-term follow-up study on a large cohort of acromegalic patients is required to improve our understanding on the subject.