36. Treatment Factors for Obstructive Sleep Apnea Hypopnea

Abstract

Obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea (OSAH) is the most common breathing-related disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of upper airway obstruction during sleep and is diagnosed based on polysomnographic findings and symptoms. Despite OSAH occurring at any age, it most commonly occurs among individuals who are between the ages 40-60 years, male gender, and obese. As rates continues to rise, an increasing number of treatments (e.g., lifestyle modification, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), oral appliance, upper airway stimulation, uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP), jaw surgery, and surgical opening in the neck) are available to improve sleep quality and symptoms. Therefore, the specific aims of this poster presentation are: 1) to investigate the major advantages and drawbacks of developed treatments for OSAH; 2) to investigate what factors are predictive of treatment success; and 3) to examine which treatments lead to the highest effectiveness rates. Research findings demonstrate that CPAP continues to be the first-line treatment despite 20% to 50% of individuals being unable to cope due to discomfort. When CPAP has failed, oral appliances (77.3% effectiveness rate), upper airway stimulation (86% effectiveness rate), UPPP (40.7% effectiveness rate), and jaw surgery (64.15% effectiveness rate) are considered. Effectiveness rates for upper airway stimulation, UPPP, and jaw surgery decrease in the long-term, and negative outcomes depend on multiple factors (e.g., age, body mass index (BMI), and severity). As a last resort, tracheostomy is the most effective for severe OSAH and when other treatments have failed due to a success rate of almost 100%.