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Snoring, sleep apnoea and swallowing dysfunction: a videoradiographic study

¹ Department of Odontology/Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Ume University, Ume, Sweden; ² Department of Respiratory Medicine, Ume University, Ume, Sweden

*Correspondence to: Eva Levring Jäghagen, Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Ume University, SE-90187 Ume, Sweden; Email: eva.levring.jaghagen{at}odont.umu.se

Received 1 June 2003; revised 7 October 2003; accepted 12 October 2003

Objectives:Snoring is associated with subclinical pharyngeal swallowing dysfunction, probably owing to vibration trauma to the pharyngeal tissues caused by snoring. Negative intrathoracic pressure during apnoea causes stretching of the velum and pharynx. The aim of this study was to investigate whether patients with severe sleep apnoea have an increased frequency of videoradiographically diagnosed subclinical pharyngeal swallowing dysfunction compared with snoring patients with or without mild sleep apnoea as well as with non-snoring controls.

Methods:Eighty consecutive patients referred for sleep apnoea recordings because of snoring were examined. Fourteen of these patients were excluded because they suffered from dysphagia. Fifteen non-snoring, non-dysphagic volunteers served as controls. Videoradiography was performed to examine the oral and pharyngeal swallowing function in patients and controls. Overnight sleep apnoea recordings were used to evaluate the apnoea–hypopnoea index (AHI).

Results:Pharyngeal swallowing dysfunction was observed in 34/66 (52%) of the snoring patients and in 1/15 (7%) of the non-snoring controls. Pharyngeal swallowing dysfunction was observed in 50% of patients with an AHI of 30, in 61% of patients with an AHI of 5–29 and in 43% of patients with an AHI of <5. There was no significant difference in the frequency of pharyngeal swallowing dysfunction between snoring patients with different AHIs.

Conclusion:Snoring patients run an increased risk of developing subclinical pharyngeal swallowing dysfunction independent of concomitant sleep apnoea.

Keywords: sleep apnoea; snoring; swallowing disorders; videoradiography

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