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Treatment of sleep-disordered breathing with positional therapy: long-term results

  • Sleep Breathing Physiology and Disorders • Original Article
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose

The aim of the present study was to assess the efficacy of a sleep position trainer (SPT) in patients with an established diagnosis of positional obstructive sleep apnea and to evaluate the adherence after 1-year follow-up.

Methods

Polysomnography (PSG) was performed at baseline and after 1 year of SPT use. Patients received questionnaires to assess treatment satisfaction and subjective adherence. Data on objective adherence and number of vibrations initiated by the SPT were collected from the SPT device.

Results

Nine out of 58 patients stopped using the SPT during the first year of treatment (16%). Thirty-four middle-aged and overweight patients underwent a PSG after 1 year of SPT use (male/female ratio, 28/6; overall apnea/hypopnea index (AHI), 16/h). A significant reduction in overall AHI to 6/h was observed using treatment (p < 0.001). The median percentage of supine sleep decreased significantly to 1% with SPT (p < 0.001). The mean objective SPT use in 28 patients was 7.3 ± 0.9 h/night and 69 ± 26% of the nights. Furthermore, 75% of the patients reported a better sleep quality since the start of SPT treatment.

Conclusions

Long-term treatment with the SPT was found to be effective in reducing overall AHI. Time spent sleeping in supine position was reduced to almost zero in the continuing users. Patient satisfaction was high when using the SPT.

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Abbreviations

AHI:

apnea/hypopnea index

CPAP:

continuous positive airway pressure

ESS:

Epworth sleepiness scale

ODI:

oxygen desaturation index

OSA:

obstructive sleep apnea

POSA:

positional obstructive sleep apnea

PSG:

polysomnography

PT:

positional therapy

SDB:

sleep-disordered breathing

SPT:

sleep position trainer

SpO2 :

minimum oxygen saturation

TST:

total sleep time

VAS snoring:

visual analogue scale for snoring

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Adelheidis Hoogewijs for her assistance with this research project.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Antwerp University Hospital, Wilrijkstraat 10, 2650, Edegem, Belgium

    Jolien Beyers, O. M. Vanderveken, C. Kastoer, A. Boudewyns, P. H. Van de Heyning & M. Dieltjens

  2. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium

    Jolien Beyers, O. M. Vanderveken, C. Kastoer, A. Boudewyns, J. A. Verbraecken, W. A. De Backer, M. J. Braem, P. H. Van de Heyning & M. Dieltjens

  3. Multidisciplinary Sleep Disorders Centre, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium

    Jolien Beyers, O. M. Vanderveken, I. De Volder, A. Van Gastel & J. A. Verbraecken

  4. Department of Psychiatry, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium

    I. De Volder & A. Van Gastel

  5. Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium

    J. A. Verbraecken

  6. Department of Special Care Dentistry, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium

    M. J. Braem

Authors
  1. Jolien Beyers
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  2. O. M. Vanderveken
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  3. C. Kastoer
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  4. A. Boudewyns
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  5. I. De Volder
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  6. A. Van Gastel
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  7. J. A. Verbraecken
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  8. W. A. De Backer
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  9. M. J. Braem
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  10. P. H. Van de Heyning
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  11. M. Dieltjens
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jolien Beyers.

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Conflict of interest

Olivier Vanderveken holds a Senior Clinical Investigator Fellowship from the Research Foundation, Flanders (FWO), 2016-2021. Marijke Dieltjens holds a Postdoctoral fellowship at Research Foundation, Flanders (FWO), 12H4516N.

Dr. Vanderveken reports other from Research support from NightBalance, during the conduct of the study; grants from Philips research grant at Antwerp University Hospital, grants from Somnomed research grant at Antwerp University Hospital, other from Somnomed, other from Inspire Medical Systems, other from Galvani, other from Zephyr, outside the submitted work. Dr. Verbraecken reports grants from NightBalance, during the conduct of the study. Dr. Braem reports grants from Somnomed Research Grant, outside the submitted work.

Research involving human participants

All procedures performed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Beyers, J., Vanderveken, O.M., Kastoer, C. et al. Treatment of sleep-disordered breathing with positional therapy: long-term results. Sleep Breath 23, 1141–1149 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-019-01792-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-019-01792-9

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