Relationship between three dimensional soft tissue measures from CBCT and OSA severity in Chinese adults: A retrospective study

To assess soft-tissue variables from CBCT images obtained for dental treatment purposes as potential predictors of OSA severity in adults. This retrospective study included 140 snoring patients categorized by the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) into primary snoring, mild, moderate, and severe OSA (<i>n</i> =35 per group). Three-dimensional upper airway parameters were measured and compared from CBCT scans. A hierarchical regression model assessed their association with the AHI after adjusting for demographics. Multiple CBCT-derived soft-tissue parameters differed significantly among OSA severity groups and correlated with the AHI. However, after demographic adjustment in the hierarchical regression model, only palatal length (PL) and minimal cross-sectional area (mCSA) emerged as statistically significant independent predictors (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05). CBCT revealed significant differences in pharyngeal soft-tissue anatomy among OSA severity groups. Palatal length and mCSA were identified as valuable predictors for OSA screening based on AHI.