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Upper Airway Physical Therapy for the Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Upper Airway Physical Therapy for the Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT02109731
Enrollment
15
Registered
2014-04-10
Start date
2009-01-31
Completion date
2012-01-31
Last updated
2015-04-15

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

Conditions

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome

Keywords

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS), Sleep Apnea

Brief summary

The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness and feasibility of upper airway muscle physical therapy utilizing negative airway pressure (NAP) breathing training in patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) in reducing both signs (apnea hypopnea index) and symptoms (i.e., daytime sleepiness).The key to the proposed therapy is the use of Negative Air Pressure when awake so that the increased reflex phasic drive to the muscles will result in muscle conditioning. Interestingly, other studies have indicated that upper airway muscle training may be useful in treating OSAS, but these studies used techniques that were not scientifically designed{Puhan, 2006 8195 /id} or used a technique (electrical stimulation) that was not well tolerated.{Lequeux, 2005 7514 /id}

Detailed description

Overview: Subjects with OSAS (but not using continuous positive airway pressure CPAP) will undergo NAP physical therapy of the upper airway, utilizing a physiologically determined training pressure and protocol, three days a week (approximately 30 minute sessions each) for a period of three months. Overnight sleep studies (PSGs) will be performed pre- and post-study. Primary outcome measurements include the pre- and post-study Apnea/Hypopnea index (AHI) and daytime hypersomnolence symptom scores. Each subject's total study time is approximately a 3-4 month period which includes screening visit, pre and post study overnight polysomnography, and therapy sessions of 3-4 a week for three months.

Interventions

OTHERNegative airway pressure delivery

Negative airway pressure delivery (breathing against a vaccuum) in order to improve the tone of the upper airway muscles and make them less susceptible to collapse during sleep.

Sponsors

University of Rochester
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

18 and over and any persons who have been diagnosed with OSAS (AHI over 15) and who are not utilizing CPAP

Exclusion criteria

Participants will be excluded if: Pregnant, Breastfeeding or any bleeding abnormalities, there is a major upper airway morphologic abnormality (e.g., retrognathia, Pierre-Robin syndrome), they have had any airway surgery (except tonsillectomy as a child),they regularly use any drugs that are known to depress the central nervous system (such as benzodiazepines, narcotics), they consume 14 alcoholic drinks a week or 2 a day,they are undergoing a current or planned intervention for weight reduction or are morbidly obese (body mass index 40 kg/m2), or they have any unstable medical or psychiatric illnesses.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Delta of Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI) as Measured by Polysomnography (PSG)three monthsThe pre-study AHI (before the NAP treatment was applied) was measured and quantified and compared to the post study AHI (after three months of NAP treatment) and the difference between pre and post therapy is reported. The AHI is an hourly rate of breathing disturbance (apneas and hypopneas per hour) that is calculated while subjects are evaluated during an overnight sleep study, with polysomnography applied (PSG). For example, while a subject is spending the night in the PSG laboratory sleeping, his/her breathing is evaluated for evidence of apneas and hypopneas during various stages of sleep. Sleep is measured with electroencephalography. And breathing is measure with respiratory excursions via chest/abdominal plethysmography recordings and airflow from the nose/mouth.

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Negative Airway Pressure Delivery
Negative airway pressure delivery (breathing against a vaccuum) in order to improve the tone of the upper airway muscles and make them less susceptible to collapse during sleep. Negative airway pressure delivery: Negative airway pressure delivery (breathing against a vaccuum) in order to improve the tone of the upper airway muscles and make them less susceptible to collapse during sleep.
15
Total15

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicNegative Airway Pressure Delivery
Age, Continuous57.8 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 13.27
BMI32.9 kilograms per meter squared
STANDARD_DEVIATION 6.3
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
1 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
14 Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
15 participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
4 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
11 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
— / —
other
Total, other adverse events
0 / 15
serious
Total, serious adverse events
0 / 15

Outcome results

Primary

Delta of Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI) as Measured by Polysomnography (PSG)

The pre-study AHI (before the NAP treatment was applied) was measured and quantified and compared to the post study AHI (after three months of NAP treatment) and the difference between pre and post therapy is reported. The AHI is an hourly rate of breathing disturbance (apneas and hypopneas per hour) that is calculated while subjects are evaluated during an overnight sleep study, with polysomnography applied (PSG). For example, while a subject is spending the night in the PSG laboratory sleeping, his/her breathing is evaluated for evidence of apneas and hypopneas during various stages of sleep. Sleep is measured with electroencephalography. And breathing is measure with respiratory excursions via chest/abdominal plethysmography recordings and airflow from the nose/mouth.

Time frame: three months

Population: subjects with a diagnosis of OSA

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Negative Airway Pressure DeliveryDelta of Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI) as Measured by Polysomnography (PSG)4.27 events per hourStandard Deviation 11.96

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026