Electrical stimulation of the tongue in obstructive sleep apnea

Investigating the Effect of electrical stimulation of the tongue muscles on apnea improvement in patients with obstructive sleep apnea

Status

Recruiting

Phases

Phase 2

Study type

Interventional

Source

IRCT

Registry ID

IRCT20250423065454N1

Enrollment

Registered

2025-05-06

Start date

2025-06-22

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2025-07-21

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a sleep disorder characterized by repeated episodes of partial or complete obstruction of the upper airway during sleep, leading to breathing pauses (apneas) or reduced airflow (hypopneas). This results in disrupted sleep, loud snoring, daytime fatigue, and potential health complications like high blood pressure, heart disease, or stroke if untreated. It is often associated with factors like obesity, anatomical airway issues, or relaxed throat muscles.. Obstruct

Interventions

Intervention group: patients with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea using electrical stimulation device under their tongue for 20 minutes daily before sleep for 6 weeks at home.

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Age

18 Years to No maximum

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: Age over 18 years Mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea Unwillingness to use CPAP device or undergo surgery

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: BMI > 35 Symptomatic nasal pathology (e.g., deviated nasal septum, nasal polyps, or chronic rhinosinusitis) Tonsillar hypertrophy (tonsil size grade 3 or higher) Tongue or lip piercing Use of a pacemaker or implanted medical electrical devices Previous oral surgery for snoring Facial skeletal abnormalities related to the study (e.g., syndromic facial defects or severe micrognathia) Any oral disease/abnormal condition

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Improving obstructive sleep apnea. Timepoint: Baseline: Before the intervention begins (prior to the 6-week treatment period).Post-intervention: Immediately after the completion of the 6-week treatment period. Method of measurement: Polysomnography (PSG): A comprehensive sleep study conducted to objectively measure Snore Index, Snore Time, AHI, and ODI. Questionnaires: Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) , and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).	—

Measure

Time frame

Improving obstructive sleep apnea. Timepoint: Baseline: Before the intervention begins (prior to the 6-week treatment period).Post-intervention: Immediately after the completion of the 6-week treatment period. Method of measurement: Polysomnography (PSG): A comprehensive sleep study conducted to objectively measure Snore Index, Snore Time, AHI, and ODI. Questionnaires: Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) , and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).

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Countries

Iran (Islamic Republic of)

Contacts

Public ContactHamed Amirifard

Tehran University of Medical Sciences

dr.amirifard@gmail.com+98 21 6119 0000

Outcome results

None listed

Source: IRCT (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026