Comparative efficacy of sleep positional therapy, oral appliance therapy, and CPAP in obstructive sleep apnea: a meta-analysis of mean changes in key outcomes.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is commonly treated with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), though many patients struggle with adherence. Sleep positional therapy (SPT) offers a potential alternative, especially for positional OSA (POSA). This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of SPT with CPAP, oral appliance therapy (OAT), and placebo.

Methods

Nineteen randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with 1,231 participants were included. Data extraction focused on changes in key outcomes such as apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), total sleep time (TST), oxygen desaturation index (ODI), and sleep architecture from pre- to post-intervention. Random-effects meta-analyses were conducted to compare mean changes between SPT and control groups (placebo, OAT, CPAP), wit

SUBMITTER: Gao Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11830591 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature