Abstract

Background: Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is associated with a variety of conditions that cause upper-airway narrowing. It was hypothesized that upper-airway narrowing can occur in patients with rheumatoid
arthritis (RA) when retrognathia develops secondary to temporomandibular joint (TMJ) destruction. Therefore, the aim of this study was to detect the prevalence of SDB in patients with acquired retrognathia secondary to rheumatoid arthritis and to assess the effi cacy of nasal continuous
positive airway pressure (nasal CPAP) therapy in patients with SDB.
Material/Methods: Employed were a questionnaire, lateral cephalometry, and overnight polysomnography in seven women and three men (mean age ±SD: 50±20 years, mean body mass index: 24.2±5.7 kg/m2) with
acquired retrognathia secondary to RA.
Results: Three patients had severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) with apnea+hypopnea indices (AHI) >60/hour, three had mild obstructive sleep hypopnea (AHI >10/hour), and four had AHI

Keywords: Arthritis, Rheumatoid - complications, Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, Retrognathia - physiopathology, Sleep Apnea, Obstructive - therapy, Temporomandibular Joint Disorders - physiopathology