Evaluation of Respiratory Muscle Sarcopenia in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome

OSAS is a disease characterized by repeated interruptions and restarts of breathing during sleep. Respiratory muscle sarcopenia is a condition in which the muscle strength of the diaphragm and other respiratory auxiliary muscles decreases, resulting in a decrease in breathing effort. Decreased respiratory effort is an important indicator of OSAS. Age, presence of chronic disease, and obesity increase the presence and severity of respiratory sarcopenia. If OSAS is left untreated, it leads to cardiovascular diseases, dementia, Alzheimer's and even death in early adulthood. In recent years, studies have shown that continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), as well as healthy behavior development, preventive health and exercise measures, are important in the management of these diseases. There is no research in the literature on the evaluation of respiratory muscle sarcopenia in OSAS patients. This study aims to evaluate respiratory muscle sarcopenia in OSAS based on a concrete value reflecting respiratory muscle strength and/or volume.

In the study, respiratory muscle sarcopenia will be evaluated in OSAS patients. It will be evaluated whether the expiratory pressure value, peek flow meter value and 6-minute walking distance are predictors of respiratory sarcopenia for OSAS.