ABSTRACT
The effectiveness of speech-language therapy is proven for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), especially for the adult population. However, studies with a population over 65 years are scarce. Thus, the aim of the present study was to analyze the longitudinal clinical evolution of an OSA elderly subject undergoing Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT). Male clinical case, 72 years old, with OSA submitted to OMT, polysomnography (PSG) exams, otorhinolaryngological clinical evaluation, Epworth sleepiness scale application, Mallampati classification and orofacial myofunctional speech evaluation in 3 different moments in time (before OMT, after OMT and after 22 months of OMT). OMT was configured to perform isometric and isotonic exercises for the orofacial and pharyngeal regions and functional training in weekly sessions of 30 minutes for 5 months. After that period, the sessions were spaced for biweekly, monthly and quarterly. After 22 months of OMT, an evolution was observed in the objective and subjective parameters related to sleep, identified by polysomnography (baseline test: 24.5 events / hour and last test of 4.63 events per hour), improvement in excessive daytime sleepiness and improvement of myofunctional orofacial parameters. Thus, it was observed that OMT demonstrated efficient and effective results of speech therapy intervention and therapeutic treatment based on OSA in this case report of an elderly person. It is noteworthy that such results were monitored and controlled through multidisciplinary evaluation in a longitudinal way.
Keywords:
Speech, Language and Hearing Science; Obstructive sleep apnea; Sleep; Aged; Stomatognathic system