Predicting Success of Oral Appliance Therapy in Treating Obstructive Sleep Apnea Using Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy

Oral appliance therapy (OAT) can be an effective treatment option for patients with obstructive sleep apnea unable to tolerate continuous positive airway pressure. We hypothesize that drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) can be useful in identifying patients who will benefit from OAT.

A retrospective review of all patients who underwent DISE (DISE group) between January 2014 and June 2016 was carried out. We included patients if they received OAT based on recommendations made by DISE findings. A control group was designed by selecting a sample of patients undergoing polysomnography (PSG) with an oral appliance in place who had not undergone prior DISE (no DISE group). The two cohorts were compared to evaluate the hypothesis.

A total of 20 patients fit inclusion criteria for the DISE group and 20 patients for the no DISE group. There was no difference between the DISE and no DISE cohorts with respect to mean age, sex, pre-OAT body mass index, post-OAT body mass index, or pre-OAT PSG characteristics including: apneahypopnea index (AHI), oxygen desaturation nadir, or Epworth Sleepiness Scale score. There was a significantly lower treatment AHI (P = .04) and increased number of patients reaching an AHI less than 5 events/h with OAT therapy (P = .04) in the DISE group.

Patients showing increased airway dimensions at the level of the velum and/or oropharynx with a jaw thrust may benefit the most from OAT. The use of DISE to identify this subset of patients is helpful in optimizing outcomes with OAT.