The Effect of Sleep Disordered Breathing on Olfactory Functions: Analysis by Apnea-Hypopnea Index

Objectives One hypothesis of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is that long-standing snoring vibrations and hypoxia of the nerves cause a local neuropathy in the upper airway during sleep. The aim of this study was to investigate olfactory function in subjects comprising snorers and untreated subjects with OSAS, and to correlate data with polysomnographic parameters. Methods Sixty-nine patients were evaluated for snoring from January 2010 to December 2013. The mild group (apneahypopnea index [AHI]