Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy for Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Laryngoscope
Saba, E. S., Kim, H., et al. (2024).
Laryngoscope, 134(1), 480-495.
This systematic review and meta-analysis investigates the use of orofacial myofunctional therapy (OMT) for individuals with obstructive sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea diagnosis and outcome measurement are not within the speech-language pathologist's scope of practice, but providing OMT is within the scope of speech-language pathology.
No funding received
From database inception to March 24, 2023
Randomized-controlled trials
7
<div>Patients undergoing OMT exhibited the following effects as compared to sham OMT or usual care:</div>
<ul>
<li>Reduced apnea severity on the Apnea-Hypopnea Index (MD = -10.19);</li>
<li>Reduced subjective sleepiness on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (MD = -5.66);</li>
<li>Improved sleep-related quality of life per the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (MD = -3.00);</li>
<li>Improved minimum oxygen saturation (MD = 2.71); and</li>
<li>Statistically significant improvement in snoring frequency (3/5 studies).</li>
</ul>
<div>Limitations of this review include the heterogeneity of study populations, small sample sizes of the included studies, lack of standardization across treatment protocols, lack of masking to treatment conditions, and lack of follow-up studies.</div>
<div>Children undergoing OMT did not show any statistically significant improvement in apnea severity, minimum oxygen saturation, or snoring frequency. These findings may have been impacted by poor adherence.<br><br>Limitations of this review include the heterogeneity of study populations, small sample sizes of the included studies, lack of standardization across treatment protocols, lack of masking to treatment conditions, and lack of follow-up studies.</div>
