REDUCED PINEAL GLAND VOLUME IN OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA
1Ankara Şehir Hastanesi, Kulak Burun Boğaz Hastalıkları, Ankara, Türkiye2Ankara Şehir Hastanesi, Radyoloji, Ankara, Türkiye Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and pineal gland volume.
Material and Methods: This study was performed on 44 patients who were diagnosed with OSA and simple snoring, and had brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. The brain MRIs of the patients were reviewed regarding pineal gland volume (PV). The patients were divided into four groups with regard to their apnea-hypopnea indexes (AHI). The groups were compared for PV, and the correlations between PV and polysomnography (PSG) findings were investigated as well.
Results: The mean PV values of the simple snoring and OSA groups were 194.09 ± 31.21 mm3 and 152.48 ± 26.37 mm3, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between the groups for PV (p=0.001). There was a statistically significant difference between OSA subgroups and simple snoring patients for PV value (p=0.002). However, there was no statistically significant difference between OSA subgroups in terms of PV value (p>0.05). A statistically significant negative correlation was observed between PV and AHI and body mass index (BMI) values (p=0.029 and p=0.030, respectively).
Conclusion: There was a decrease of PV on brain MRI in OSA patients, and this decrease might be associated with AHI and BMI.
Keywords : Brain magnetic resonance imaging, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, Pineal gland, Body mass index