Home / abstract-2017-issue-2-anbuselvi
Study on distribution of different classes of Mallampati grading and its association
with sleep apnea – a cross-sectional analysis

Anbuselvi Mattuvar Kuzhali S¹, Balasubramanian Kabali², Jayabharathi P³, Balasubramanian Thiagarajan4
¹Department of Physiology,
³Final year MBBS student,
4Department of ENT, Stanley Medical College, Chennai, India,
²Department of Physiology, Annai Medical College, Chennai, India

Abstract
  • Background: Clinical assessment of structural narrowing of oropharynx may help in early detection of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). The Modified Mallampati Classification can predict the higher incidence of sleep apnea based on the morphology of oropharynx. To substantiate this Epworth Sleepiness scale is used to measure daytime sleepiness or average sleep propensity in daily life (ASP). We aim to identify the type of oropharyngeal pattern and its association with sleep apnoea which may be reflected by daytime sleepiness using simple tests.
  • Aim: To estimate the distribution and common type of mouth opening pattern as per Modified Mallampati classification and to correlate the type of Mallampati pattern with ASP or daytime sleepiness using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS).
  • Materials and Methods: Sample size of 100 subjects of age 18 to 60 years were chosen from outpatient department and master health check-up. By physical examination of mouth opening,the score under Mallampati classification were noted and all subjects were asked to fill up Epworth scoring scale questionnaire. Common type of mouth opening and its relation to ESS scores were evaluated. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS software.
  • Results: IMallampati grading were 15% class-1, 39% class-2, 35% class-3, and 11% class-4 among the study population. Significant association between Modified Mallampati scoring (MMS) with Epworth Sleepiness scale (ESS), 26% of the subjects reported increased day time sleepiness,in which 10% were under class 3 and 4,the reason might be due to anatomical overcrowding of oropharynx and the remaining 16% were under Class-1 and 2.
  • Conclusion: Presence of high Modified Mallampati score is strongly associated with high prevalence of daytime sleepiness. There is more prevalence of narrowed airway pattern as evidenced by high Modified Mallampati score and is associated with more risk of daytime sleepiness.

Keywords: Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Modified Mallampatti Scoring, sleep apnoea