Thyroid Surgery Linked To Improved Sleep Apnea Symptoms

A recent report from the American Thyroid Association reports some interesting and encouraging links between improved sleep apnea symptoms for patients after total or partial removal of their thyroid. This surgery, which is known as a thyroidectomy is being given some credit for a reduction in a range of breathing related sleep issues such as snoring and obstructive sleep apnea.

The study, which was published in a press release on 26 October 2011 involved a number of researchers making comparisons of sleep apnea and snoring symptoms in patients before they underwent their thyroid surgery, and 8 weeks afterwards. Many of the subjects had been suffering from a range of symptoms such as snoring, OSA and disrupted breathing while they slept, and also sleepiness during the day, a well known sign of one of these sleep disorders.

After the surgery had taken place, and when the symptoms were re-evaluated, the symptom scores were shown to have improved a lot, and 20% fewer patients were considered to be at a high risk of obstructive sleep apnea.

Rebecca Sippel of Wisconsin School Of Medicine and Public Health said that sleep apnea had many causes and was a serious condition, and was encouraged that a thyroidectomy could have such a positive effect on so many sufferers of the condition. What was particularly encouraging was how these improvements were, regardless of the size of the gland.

The results were such that the researchers believe that when presented with a sleep apnea case, doctors should check for an enlarged thyroid gland as part of their patient assessment.

Sleep apnea affects a lot of people, in fact, around 20% of the US population is believed to suffer from the condition. The airway can become partially or totally blocked during sleep as the soft throat tissues over relax and block the airway. This can leave patients gasping for breath and suffering physiological arousal as their bodies are starved of oxygen.

The study is considered to be only at a  preliminary stage, and will need to be peer reviewed. It is however another important piece of knowledge that can be used in the fight against sleep apnea.

SOURCE: American Thyroid Association, news release, Oct. 26, 2011