Myofunctional Therapy for the Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Overview

Journal Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol

Publisher Thieme

Date 2025 Feb 5

PMID 39906481

Authors

Lucas Gabriel Dos Anjos Ferreira

Vanessa Souza Gigoski de Miranda

Maria Eduarda Pedroso Baseggio

Miriam Allein Zago Marcolino

Deisi Cristina Gollo Marques Vidor

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Given the severity with which obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) syndrome can affect the patient's health, many therapies have been presented to minimize the occurrence of episodes of airway obstruction during sleep. Regarding non-invasive and effective methods, orofacial myofunctional therapy (OMT) is an important adjuvant in the clinical treatment. To verify the effectiveness of OMT in the treatment of adult patients affected by OSA. A search strategy was developed with terms adapted to the requirements of the main databases in the health field (PubMed, Cochrane, Embase and secondary databases) to designate the adult OSA population and the OMT intervention. The analysis of the records found was performed by two independent examiners and, at the end, we included five randomized clinical trials that presented the outcome of effectiveness of the OMT verified through the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI). The effectiveness of the OMT in the treatment of adult OSA patients was verified, both alone and in association with other interventions, through the reduction in the AHI and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale.

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