Study Cloud Latin America, Session IV. April 15, 2026.
As part of the fourth session of our Study Cloud Latin America program, a notable presentation was held focusing on the relationship between sleep disorders and orofacial pain.
On this occasion, we were honored to have Dr. Liliana Estrada (Costa Rica) as our guest speaker, who presented on the topic:
Hypoxic Burden as an Indicator of Severity in Obstructive Sleep Apnea
During her presentation, an updated approach to the evaluation of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) was presented. While severity has traditionally been determined using the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), it was emphasized that this parameter does not fully reflect the physiological impact of the disease.
The concept of intermittent hypoxia was explored in depth, characterized by repeated cycles of oxygen desaturation followed by rapid reoxygenation, comparable to multiple episodes of ischemia-reperfusion throughout the night. This phenomenon has important clinical implications, as it contributes to:
• Oxidative stress and systemic inflammation
• Hyperactivation of the sympathetic nervous system, leading to a state of persistent hyperarousal
• Endothelial dysfunction and metabolic alterations, associated with the development of atherosclerosis, hypertension, and insulin resistance.
This session underscores the importance of incorporating new metrics, such as hypoxic load, into the clinical assessment of OSA, enabling a more accurate understanding of its systemic impact and its relationship to other medical conditions.
We thank Dr. Liliana Estrada for sharing her expertise and offering an innovative perspective in this rapidly evolving field.
