Device-Assisted Oropharyngeal Rehabilitation in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients Using Continuous Positive Airway Pressure

Launched by NATIONAL CHENG-KUNG UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL · May 22, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is exploring a new approach to help adults with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a condition where a person's breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. The study is looking at whether combining a special exercise program, called device-assisted oropharyngeal rehabilitation (OPR), with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy can improve breathing and reduce the severity of OSA more effectively than using CPAP alone. Researchers will compare four different groups: those receiving only CPAP, those doing only OPR exercises, those getting both treatments, and a control group with no intervention.

To participate, individuals should be adults aged 20 to 68 who have been newly diagnosed with mild to severe OSA. They should not have certain medical conditions that could complicate the study, such as severe allergies, significant obesity, or certain heart and neurological issues. Participants will be assigned to one of the four groups and will perform home-based OPR exercises for about 30-45 minutes, 1-2 times a day, for three months. Throughout the study, their progress will be monitored, and they will undergo various assessments to measure improvements in sleep quality and muscle function. This trial aims to find out if this combined approach can lead to better outcomes for patients managing OSA.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Adults aged 20 to 68 years
• • Newly diagnosed with mild to severe pure obstructive sleep apnea based on polysomnography
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Severe allergic rhinitis
• • Sinusitis with nasal polyps
• • Adenoid hypertrophy
• • Bilateral tonsillar hypertrophy (Friedman grade ≥ III)
• • Lingual tonsil hypertrophy (Friedman grade ≥ III)
• • Body Mass Index (BMI) \> 40
• • Alcohol or drug abuse within the past year
• • Pregnancy
• • Severe obstructive or restrictive pulmonary diseases
• • High-risk cardiovascular diseases during exercise (e.g., angina, myocardial infarction, heart failure, valvular heart disease)
• • History of central or peripheral neurological disorders that interfere with exercise prescription
• • Musculoskeletal or psychological disorders that interfere with exercise prescription
• • Other non-respiratory sleep disorders
• • Sleep disorders with concomitant central sleep apnea