Characteristics of pharyngeal paraesthesia symptoms in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea

Purpose This study aimed to investigate pharyngeal paraesthesia symptoms in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). Material and methods Patients with snoring and suspected OSA as well as age-matched controls were recruited. All participants underwent nocturnal polysomnography (PSG) and pharyngeal paraesthesia assessment using the Glasgow-Edinburgh throat scale (GETS). The incidence and severity of pharyngeal paraesthesia symptoms were compared between the groups. Results A total of 280 patients who snored or were suspected of having OSA and 35 healthy, age-matched controls were recruited. The total pharyngeal paraesthesia symptom score was significantly higher in the OSA group than in the healthy group (12 [5, 23] vs. 3 [0, 9]; p < 0.001). The most frequent pharyngeal paraesthesia symptoms in the snore patients were Q7 (catarrh down the throat) and Q3 (discomfort/irritation in the throat), which are related to the irritability of the throat. The incidence of Q7 (OSA, 58% vs. controls, 14%; χ 2 = 23.66; p < 0.001), Q3 (OSA, 46% vs. controls, 3%; χ 2 = 23.07; p < 0.001), Q1 (feeling of something stuck in the throat; OSA, 33% vs. controls, 6%; χ 2 = 11.00; p = 0.001), Q6 (swelling in the throat; OSA, 31% vs. controls, 0%; χ 2 = 14.53; p < 0.001), Q9 (want to swallow all the time; OSA, 20% vs. controls, 6%; χ 2 = 6.28; p = 0.012), Q5 (throat closing off; OSA, 24% vs. controls, 6%; χ 2 = 6.16; p = 0.013), and Q2 (pain in the throat; OSA, 23% vs. controls, 6%; χ 2 = 5.32; p = 0.021) was significantly higher in the OSA group than in the controls Conclusions Patients with obstructive sleep apnoea have higher pharyngeal paraesthesia symptoms scores and tend to have irritated throats compared to healthy controls. Clinical trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03506178.