The role of the nose in obstructive sleep apnea

To evaluate the relationships between nasal obstruction and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), this report provides a simple review of the literature relating to this subject. Patients with OSA have exhibited a higher frequency of nasal abnormalities compared to controls, suggesting that these alterations play some role in the physiopathology of this disease. However, clinical or surgical treatment of these abnormalities has been shown to be limited in controlling OSAS. Nevertheless, nasal surgeries are capable of reducing therapeutic pressure levels for positive airway pressure devices; the real benefit of the nose procedures on the use of positive airway pressure devices in the long term must be further assessed. Nasal evaluation in patients who are candidates for the use of an intraoral device is seldom discussed in the literature, and only one study has reported a positive finding, opening the way for new studies with this focus. Thus, the nose takes on an important role in OSAS; however, some aspects of its impact in the clinical and surgical treatment of OSAS still remain controversial.