EDITORIAL |
https://doi.org/10.5005/ijhns-10-4-iv |
Over the past two decades, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been increasingly identified as critical risk factor for the development of multiple systemic comorbidities both in adult and pediatric patient populations. Untreated OSA has a significant negative impact on overall well-being and quality of life. Early identification and optimal treatment of OSA has proven health benefits.
Moreover, patients suffering from OSA frequently visit an otolaryngoloist as their first point of contact; hence, awareness regarding the varied presentations and treatment options is a key to providing optimum disease management. A broader knowledge of the topic allows one to completely understand the complex interplay of the various factors leading to the development of OSA and appreciate the much-needed cross-specialty care required for the same. Acknowledging the importance of this condition, the editorial team at IJHNS has dedicated an entire special issue on this topic. This special issue has been divided into four parts with each part focusing on a specific aspect of management of OSA. Part 1 gives a broad overview, Part 2 deals with diagnosis and interpretation of sleep studies both in adults and pediatric patients. Part 3 covers the various comorbidities associated with OSA along with treatment options and Part 4 deals with the various surgical options. The authors who have contributed are from wide variety of specialties such as otolaryngology, pulmonology, neurology, internal medicine and dentistry, reflecting the multi-disciplinary nature of the field. The editorial team has received significant contributions from our guest editors Dr Prahlad Prabhudesai, Dr Carlos Torre-Leon and Dr Abha Pandey and would like to thank them for the same. We hope that these articles will provide the otolaryngologists with the necessary information needed to treat this increasingly important condition in a more comprehensive manner and further improve patient care.
Dr Christopher Desouza
Editor-in-Chief
Dr Rahul Modi
Asstt Editor
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