Artificial Intelligence to Detect Obstructive Sleep Apnea from Craniofacial Images: A Narrative Review

The purpose of this study is to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis evaluating the effects of respiratory muscle therapy (ie, oropharyngeal exercises, speech therapy, breathing exercises, wind musical instruments) compared with control therapy or no treatment in improving apnea-hypopnea index ([AHI] primary outcome), sleepiness, and other polysomnographic outcomes for patients diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Only randomized controlled trials with a placebo therapy or no treatment searched using PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, and Web of Science up to November 2018 were included, and assessment of risk of bias was completed using the Cochrane Handbook. Nine studies with 394 adults and children diagnosed with mild to severe OSA were included, all assessed at high risk of bias. Eight of the 9 studies measured AHI and showed a weighted average overall AHI improvement of 39.5% versus baselines after respiratory muscle therapy. Based on our meta-analyses in adult studies, respiratory muscle therapy yielded an improvement in AHI of -7.6 events/h (95% confidence interval [CI] = -11.7 to -3.5; P ≤ .001), apnea index of -4.2 events/h (95% CI = -7.7 to -0.8; P ≤ .016), Epworth Sleepiness Scale of -2.5 of 24 (95% CI= -5.1 to -0.1; P ≤ .066), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index of -1.3 of 21 (95% CI= -2.4 to -0.2; P ≤ .026), snoring frequency (P = .044) in intervention groups compared with controls. This systematic review highlights respiratory muscle therapy as an adjunct management for OSA but further studies are needed due to limitations including the nature and small number of studies, heterogeneity of the interventions, and high risk of bias with low quality of evidence.

To assess variable negative external pressure (vNEP) therapy using a range of pressures and varying collar sizes and shapes to identify combinations that improve the efficacy and comfort of this emerging therapy for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This prospective, open-label pilot study included 28 eligible patients (71% men) having documented moderate OSA (apnea-hypopnea index [AHI] 15 events/h ≤ AHI ≤ 30 events/h) at 1 sleep clinic for an overnight, in-lab sleep trial. Each participant tested at least 2 of 6 available vNEP devices during sleep periods ≥ 2 hours. During the assessment of AHI by polysomnography, negative pressures of -20 cm H2O to -35 cm H2O were adjusted to improve each patient's response. Participants' therapeutic preferences were assessed by a questionnaire and interviews. Twenty (71%) of the participants responded to vNEP therapy: excellent response (AHI ≤ 5 events/h) was observed in 14 (50%); 6 (21%) achieved a partial response (AHI ≤ 50% baseline). For the 20 responders, the therapy reduced the fraction of total sleep time when peripheral oxygen saturation < 90% and improved minimum pulse oximetry oxygen saturation. Six patients experienced a minor, self-limited adverse event. Twenty-six participants (93%) stated that they would use vNEP nightly. In this pilot study, vNEP therapy markedly improved AHI and oxygenation in most patients with moderate OSA. The majority of participants found vNEP comfortable and preferable to prevailing OSA therapies. Further development and studies of vNEP are warranted. Registry: ClinicalTrials.gov; Name: Study of Variable Negative External Pressure (vNEP) in Reducing Respiratory Event in Individuals With OSA; URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04718142; Identifier: NCT04718142. Kram JA, Pelayo R. Variable negative external pressure-An alternative to continuous positive airway pressure for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea: A pilot study. J Clin Sleep Med. 2022;18(1):305-314.

The Pharyngeal Critical Pressure: The Whys and Hows of Using Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Diagnostically

First, to compare the upper airway's anatomic and aerodynamic characteristics of the edentulous older adults who experience mild, moderate, and severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Second, to examine the correlation between the severity of OSA and the anatomic and aerodynamic characteristic(s) of the upper airway in these edentulous individuals. NewTom5G cone beam computed tomography scans of 58 edentulous individuals with mild, moderate, and severe OSA were included in this analysis. 1) Computational models of the upper airway were reconstructed based on cone beam computed tomography images and the anatomical and aerodynamic characteristics of the upper airway were examined by an observer blind to OSA severity. 2) Pearson correlation analysis was used to determine the correlation between apnea-hypopnea index and the anatomic and aerodynamic characteristics of the upper airway. Compared with edentulous patients with mild and moderate OSA, those with severe OSA have a more hourglass-shaped upper airway. The severity of OSA, namely, apnea-hypopnea index, was significantly correlated with the length, shape, and minimum cross-sectional area of the upper airway. During inspiration, the mean velocity of the airflow within the upper airway of the edentulous patients with severe OSA was higher than that of patients with mild and moderate OSA. During both inspiration and expiration, apnea-hypopnea index was found to be significantly correlated with maximum velocity (P = .05) and airway resistance (P = .024, 0.038). The edentulous patients with severe OSA have a more hourglass-shaped upper airway. The findings also suggest that, during inspiration, the airflow travels faster in edentulous patients with severe OSA than in those with mild or moderate OSA. Registry: ClinicalTrials.gov; Name: The Effect of Nocturnal Wear of Dentures on Sleep and Oral Health Related Quality of Life; URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01868295; Identifier: NCT01868295. Chen H, Elham E, Li Y, etal. Comparison of anatomic and aerodynamic characteristics of the upper airway among edentulous mild, moderate, and severe obstructive sleep apnea in older adults. J Clin Sleep Med. 2022;18(3):759-768.

Craniofacial Profile Assessment in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea

This systematic review provides supporting evidence for the accompanying clinical practice guideline on the referral of adults with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) for surgical consultation. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine commissioned a task force of experts in sleep medicine. A systematic review was conducted to identify studies that compared the use of upper airway sleep apnea surgery or bariatric surgery to no treatment as well as studies that reported on patient-important and physiologic outcomes pre- and postoperatively. Statistical analyses were performed to determine the clinical significance of using surgery to treat obstructive sleep apnea in adults. Finally, the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) process was used to assess the evidence for making recommendations. The literature search resulted in 274 studies that provided data suitable for statistical analyses. The analyses demonstrated that surgery as a rescue therapy results in a clinically significant reduction in excessive sleepiness, snoring, blood pressure (BP), apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), respiratory disturbance index (RDI), and oxygen desaturation index (ODI); an increase in lowest oxygen saturation (LSAT) and sleep quality; and an improvement in quality of life in adults with OSA who are intolerant or unaccepting of positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy. The analyses demonstrated that surgery as an adjunctive therapy results in a clinically significant reduction in optimal PAP pressure and improvement in PAP adherence in adults with OSA who are intolerant or unaccepting of PAP due to side effects associated with high pressure requirements. The analyses also demonstrated that surgery as an initial treatment results in a clinically significant reduction in AHI/RDI, sleepiness, snoring, BP, and ODI and an increase in LSAT in adults with OSA and major anatomical obstruction. Analysis of bariatric surgery data showed a clinically significant reduction in BP, AHI/RDI, sleepiness, snoring, optimal PAP level, BMI, and ODI and an increase in LSAT in adults with OSA and obesity. Analyses of very limited evidence suggested that upper airway surgery does not result in a clinically significant increase in risk of serious persistent adverse events and suggested that bariatric surgery may result in a clinically significant risk of iron malabsorption that may be managed with iron supplements. The task force provided a detailed summary of the evidence along with the quality of evidence, the balance of benefits and harms, patient values and preferences, and resource use considerations. Kent D, Stanley J, Aurora RN, etal. Referral of adults with obstructive sleep apnea for surgical consultation: an American Academy of Sleep Medicine systematic review, meta-analysis, and GRADE assessment. J Clin Sleep Med. 2021;17(12):2507-2531.

Freire C, Sennes LU, Polotsky VY. Opioids and obstructive sleep apnea. J Clin Sleep Med. 2022;18(2):647-652.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a prevalent and debilitating condition that is significantly underdiagnosed. The majority of adults sleep with someone-a partner. Partners can play a significant role in the patient's OSA diagnosis. The goal of this work is to describe facilitators and barriers to OSA diagnosis as discussed by patients with OSA and their partners. This was a qualitative secondary analysis with results drawn from 20 dyadic interviews, conducted 1 couple at a time, in 20 newly diagnosed adult patients with OSA and their partners. Qualitative interview data were analyzed using conventional content analysis. Facilitators of OSA diagnosis were partners pushing patients to seek care, patients actively seeking care, and care providers identifying the patient's risk of OSA. Barriers to OSA diagnosis were patients' lack of serious attention to symptoms, patients' negative perceptual framing of diagnosis and treatment of OSA, and poor coordination of health care services. We recommend engaging partners in the OSA diagnosis and developing educational and behavioral interventions to raise public awareness about OSA. It is important to educate clinicians on atypical presentations of OSA. Further investigation is needed to evaluate the impact of health care services on OSA diagnosis. Ye L, Li W, Willis DG. Facilitators and barriers to getting obstructive sleep apnea diagnosed: perspectives from patients and their partners. J Clin Sleep Med. 2022;18(3):835-841.

Is Continuous Positive Airway Pressure All There Is? Alternative Perioperative Treatments for Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) intolerance remains a persistent problem for many obstructive sleep apnea patients. Clinicians and researchers continue to search for other effective treatment modalities given the well-documented sequelae associated with untreated obstructive sleep apnea. A multidisciplinary "Alternatives to CPAP program" (ALT) can facilitate systematic evaluation of non-CPAP therapies appropriate for an individual patient. We review successful strategies and barriers encountered during implementation of an ALT at our institution. Creation of similar programs in private practice and academic settings can help medical, dental, and surgical sleep medicine specialists coordinate evaluation and treatment of CPAP-intolerant patients.

There is evidence of an important mutual interaction between sleep disorders and cardiovascular problems. Patients with cardiovascular diseases often complain of several sleep disturbances such as sleep fragmentation, insomnia and breathing disorders during sleep. On the contrary, patients with sleep disorders are more frequently affected by cardiovascular problems. Such a reciprocal interaction makes it often difficult to determine which is the cause and which is the effect between these conditions. Sleep-related breathing disorders, particularly obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS), formerly named Pickwickian syndrome, are highly prevalent in the general population, OSAS affecting at least 4% of middle-aged men and 2% of middle-aged women in the developed world, with its prevalence increasing in parallel with the growing prevalence of obesity. Individuals with OSAS are also characterized by a worsened quality of life and by excessive daytime somnolence, and are at an increased risk of road traffic and workplace accidents when compared with nonapnoeic individuals [1–3]. From a public health viewpoint, also the reported increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality associated with a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is of particular importance [4,5]. OSA is associated with a higher prevalence of hypertension, in particular resistant hypertension, myocardial infarction, cardiac arrhythmias, congestive heart failure and stroke. Indeed, untreated severe OSA confers a three-fold increased risk of death from cardiovascular causes [1,2,6]. Prevalence of hypertension in OSA patients ranges from 35 to 80% and appears to be influenced by OSA severity. In fact, more than 60% of individuals with respiratory disturbance index greater than 30 were found to be hypertensive. Conversely, approximately 40% of hypertensive patients are diagnosed with OSA. Finally, when focussing on patients with resistant hypertension, OSA prevalence is significantly higher, reaching 83% [7]. Given this background, and the relevant interaction between OSA and cardiovascular disorders, it is evident that strategies for OSA treatment also play a key role in cardiovascular diseases prevention.

Radiofrequency Ablation for Sleep-Disordered Breathing

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common pediatric condition characterized by recurrent partial or complete cessation of airflow during sleep, typically due to inadequate upper airway patency. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is a therapeutic option that reduces morbidity. Despite efforts to promote use, CPAP adherence is poor in both pediatric and adult populations. We sought to determine whether demographics, insurance status, OSA severity, therapeutic pressure, or comorbid conditions were associated with pediatric CPAP adherence. A retrospective review of adherence download data was performed on all pediatric patients with initiation or adjustment of CPAP treatment over a one-year period with documented in-laboratory CPAP titration. Patients were grouped as CPAP adherent or non-adherent, where adherence was defined as > 70% nightly use and average usage ≥ 4 hours per night. Differences between the groups were analyzed by χ(2) test. Overall, nearly half of participants were CPAP adherent (49%, 69/140). Of the demographic data collected (age, ethnicity, sex, insurance status), only female sex was associated with better adherence (60.9% vs 39.5% of males adherent; odds ratio [OR] = 2.41, 95%CI = 1.20-4.85; p = 0.01). Severity of OSA (diagnostic apnea-hypopnea index [AHI] and degree of hypoxemia), therapeutic pressure, and residual AHI did not impact CPAP adherence (p > 0.05). Patients with developmental delay (DD) were more likely to be adherent with CPAP than those without a DD diagnosis (OR = 2.55, 95%CI = 1.27-5.13; p = 0.007). Female patients with trisomy 21 tended to be more adherent, but this did not reach significance or account for the overall increased adherence associated with female sex. Our study demonstrates that adherence to CPAP therapy is poor but suggests that female sex and developmental delay are associated with better adherence. These findings support efforts to understand the pathophysiology of and to develop adherence-promoting and alternative interventions for pediatric OSA.

I read with interest the recent article by Dr. Michael Levitzky on using the pathophysiology of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) to teach cardiopulmonary integration ([2][1]). With 10 years of experience of teaching courses in both respiratory physiology and sleep at the University of Toronto, I also

To determine the relations between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) diagnosis, the likelihood of being diagnosed with a psychological condition, among obese veterans, after accounting for severity of obesity and the correlated nature of patients within facility. We hypothesized that (1) individuals with a diagnosis of OSA would be more likely to receive a diagnosis of a (a) mood disorder and (b) anxiety disorder, but not (c) substance use disorder. Cross-sectional retrospective database review of outpatient medical records between October 2009 and September 2010, conducted across all 140 Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facilities. The entire VA Health Care System. Population-based sample of veterans with obesity (N = 2,485,658). Physician- or psychologist-determined diagnosis of psychological conditions including mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders. Using generalized linear mixed modeling, after accounting for the correlated nature of patients within facility and the severity of obesity, individuals with a diagnosis of sleep apnea had increased odds of receiving a mood disorder diagnosis (OR = 1.85; CI = 1.71-1.72; p < 0.001), anxiety disorder diagnosis (OR = 1.82; CI = 1.77-1.84; p < 0.001), but not a diagnosis of substance use disorder. Among obese veterans within VA, OSA is associated with increased risk for having a mood and anxiety disorder, but not substance use disorder, with the strongest associations observed for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder (MDD). In addition, this relation remained after accounting for severity of BMI.