No abstract

This study examined the tongue strength and endurance of persons with and without OSA using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) for measures of fat distribution. Subjects included 11 persons (8 males, 3 females, M+SD = 65.9+8.4) with OSA (apnea/hypopnea index [AHI] > 10/h sleep) and 17 typical, healthy controls (12 males, 5 females, M+SD = 50.9+20.22). Tongue strength measures included maximum anterior and posterior strength, endurance, and strength during speech and swallowing tasks. DEXA was used to calculate total visceral fat %, total neck fat %, and total body fat %. Results showed no significant difference in tongue strength measures based on the presence of OSA. Regression analyses showed that total body fat % was able to predict tongue strength during speech (R 2 =.291, F (1, 26) =10.24, p=.004.) and visceral fat % was able to predict tongue strength during swallowing (R 2 =.214, F (1, 26) =6.8, p=.015). Beta coefficients showed that tongue strength increased as fat %increased (β =.539, .462). Finally, there was no difference in speech or swallowing tongue strength reserves between the groups, and participants used 17% and 42% of their strength reserves during speech and swallowing tasks, respectively. Regression analysis of obesity and tongue strength reserves indicate that with each unit increase in total body fat %, speech reserves increased by more than half a percent (β=0.547; p=.003). Overall results suggest that reduced tongue strength may not be a factor in the pathogenesis of OSA.