Muscle and visceral fat infiltration: A potential mechanism to explain the worsening of obstructive sleep apnea with age.

Study Objectives: Aging is a major risk factor for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and is associated with increased upper airway collapsibility, but the mechanisms are largely unknown. We hypothesized that the increase in OSA severity and upper airway collapsibility with age are partially mediated by upper airway, visceral and muscle fat infiltration.

Methods: Male subjects underwent full polysomnography, upper airway collapsibility determination (Pcrit) after sleep induction with midazolam, upper airway and abdominal computed tomography.