Summary of findings 7. Myofunctional therapy compared to Standard medical treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea.
| Myofunctional therapy compared to standard medical treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea | ||||||
| Patient or population: obstructive sleep apnoea Setting: Outpatient Intervention: Myofunctional therapy Comparison: Standard medical treatment | ||||||
| Outcomes | Anticipated absolute effects* (95% CI) | Relative effect (95% CI) | № of participants (studies) | Certainty of the evidence (GRADE) | Comments | |
| Risk with Standard medical treatment | Risk with Myofunctional therapy | |||||
| Daytime sleepiness (ESS): change from baseline. Follow‐up: 3 months. | The mean daytime sleepiness (ESS): change from baseline. Follow‐up: 3 months was 0.2 | MD 6.4 lower (9.82 lower to 2.98 lower) | ‐ | 26 (1 RCT) | ⊕⊕⊝⊝ LOW1 2 | May reduce daytime sleepiness. Scores from 0 to 24. Lower scores denote lower daytime sleepiness. MCID 3 points. |
| Sleep quality (PSQI): change from baseline. Follow‐up: 3 months. | The mean sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index): change from baseline. Follow‐up: 3 months was ‐1.5 | MD 3.1 lower (5.12 lower to 1.08 lower) | ‐ | 26 (1 RCT) | ⊕⊕⊝⊝ LOW1 2 | May increase sleep quality. Scores from 0 to 21. Lower scores denote a healthier sleep quality. MCID 3 points. |
| Snoring frequency: change from baseline. Follow‐up: 3 months. | The mean snoring frequency: change from baseline. Follow‐up: 3 months was 0.1 | MD 2.4 lower (2.8 lower to 2 lower) | ‐ | 26 (1 RCT) | ⊕⊕⊝⊝ LOW1 2 | May reduce snoring frequency slightly. Lower scores better. MCID: not available. |
| Snoring intensity: change from baseline. Follow‐up: 3 months. | The mean snoring intensity: change from baseline was 0. Follow‐up: 3 months | MD and CI not estimable | ‐ | 26 (1 RCT) | ⊕⊕⊝⊝ LOW1 2 | May reduce snoring intensity. Reduction of 3.2 points in the myofunctional therapy group and no change in any patient in the standard medical treatment group. Lower scores better. MCID: not available. |
| *The risk in the intervention group (and its 95% confidence interval) is based on the assumed risk in the comparison group and the relative effect of the intervention (and its 95% CI). AHI: apnoea hypopnoea index; CI: Confidence interval; ESS: Epworth sleepiness scale; MD: mean difference; MCID: Minimal Clinically Important Diference; PSQI: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index | ||||||
| GRADE Working Group grades of evidence High certainty: We are very confident that the true effect lies close to that of the estimate of the effect Moderate certainty: We are moderately confident in the effect estimate: The true effect is likely to be close to the estimate of the effect, but there is a possibility that it is substantially different Low certainty: Our confidence in the effect estimate is limited: The true effect may be substantially different from the estimate of the effect Very low certainty: We have very little confidence in the effect estimate: The true effect is likely to be substantially different from the estimate of effect | ||||||
1 Downgraded one point for unblinded
2 Downgraded one point for imprecision