Dados do Trabalho

Título

Effect of Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy on tongue pressure and reduction of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Introdução

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a disease that affects thousands of Brazilians, affecting the quality of life of those who have the disease and their family members/bed partners. Normally, national studies with Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT) and OSA address improvements in polysomnography results and in several quality of life questionnaires, but do not focus on objective measurements of the orofacial muscle tone of patients, which ends up being one of the main causes of collapse during sleep. Since 2016, the Brazilian industry has made available on the market the Biofeedback Pró-Fono: Lip and Tongue Pressure (PLL Pró-Fono), a device capable of performing objective measurements of orofacial pressure, like the American IOPI. Because it is a relatively new product, there is still little research available, even less in patients with OSA.

Objetivo

To characterize the change in orofacial musculature after performing isometric and isotonic exercises in patients with OSA. The analysis was performed through clinical evaluation of AMIOFE-E, using PLL Pro-Fono and will be related to polysomnographic findings.

Métodos

This was a descriptive, longitudinal and retrospective study in which 2 patients with normal BMI, aged 35-45 years, diagnosed with mild and moderate OSA. The patients were evaluated pre and post OMT regarding clinical evaluation of orofacial myofunctional function - AMIOFE-E, pressure of the lips, tongue and cheeks, through PLL Pro-Fono and polysomnography.

Resultados

After the OMT program, a significant improvement was noted in the appearance, tone, mobility and posture of the lips, tongue and cheeks; increased muscle pressure on the dorsum of the tongue from 27.7±3.2kPa to 36±34.3 kPa. Regarding polysomnography parameters, there was an increase in N2 from 39.9±16% to 46±2.4%, in N3+N4 from 43.8±0.5% to 52.3±2.3%, regarding severity, initially one case was mild and the other moderate, at the end of treatment both had normal AHI. Thus, the average AHI went from 17.3±6.4 (moderate) to 2.4±2 (normal) at the end of the 12 sessions. In addition, there was a reduction in the arousal index from 27.9±11.2 to 19.1±1 in both cases.

Conclusões

The OMT Program showed positive results both for the adequacy and strengthening of orofacial myofunctional structures and for the reduction of AHI and polysomnography parameters.

Palavras -chave

Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Polysomnography, Myofunctional Therapy, Muscle Strength, Biofeedback.