Evaluation of central auditory response and the effect of the possible effects of continuous positive airway pressure therapy on the response in patients with moderate and severe SLEEP APNEA syndrome

In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the central auditory pathways of individuals diagnosed with moderate or severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and to evaluate its possible effects after CPAP treatment. Patients who applied to İnönü University Turgut Özal Medical Center, Department of Otorhinolaryngology were included in the study. Total OSAS (n=46) and healthy (n=22) subjects were included in the study. After a general ENT examination was performed on all participants in the Inonu University Turgut Özal Medical Center Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) polyclinic, those who met the inclusion criteria were included in the study. High frequency audiometry (10 kHz, 12.5 kHz, 14 kHz and 16 kHz), Auditory Evoked Late Latencies (LLR) and P300 test were performed on the participants in the study. Among the OSAS patients included in the study, the patients who received CPAP treatment and used it regularly for 2 months were called to repeat the test and the auditory tests were repeated. Obtained data were compared between 3 groups. A statistically significant difference was found between the Severe and Moderate OSAS and the Control and Severe OSAS groups for age and weight variables (p<0.05). The scores of the patients with moderate and severe OSAS on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale were found to be statistically higher than the control group (p<0.05). The mean and lowest blood O2 saturations during sleep were found to be statistically low in patients with severe OSAS (p<0.05). In patients with severe OSAS, the time spent in sleep with blood O2 level below 90% was found to be statistically high (p<0.05). A difference was found in the analyzes performed for high frequencies (right-left 10 kHz, 12.5 kHz, 14 kHz, 16 kHz) in terms of the categories of the group variable (p<0.05). A statistically significant difference was found between Severe OSAS and Control group and Moderate OSAS and Control group for the P300 latency variable (p<0.05). No statistically significant difference was found for P1 latency, N1 latency, and P1-N1 amplitude variables (p>0.05). A statistically significant difference was found between the variable of P300 latency before and after CPAP treatment in the severe OSAS group (p<0.05). In addition, although there was a significant difference in the right ear 10 kHz for the High Frequency variable, there was no statistical difference in all other frequencies (p>0.05). In line with the findings obtained in our study, it was concluded that there may be effects such as attention, cognitive memory, and perception disorders in patients with moderate and severe OSAS, since P300 test and some high frequencies were affected. It was thought that CPAP treatment brought about improvements in cognitive pathways and this resulted in regressions in complaints such as distraction and forgetfulness brought about by OSAS. Keywords: TUAS, Central auditory pathways, P300, Late latencies, High frequency