Table 3.
Summary of clinical significance thresholds for outcome measures.
| Outcome Measure | Clinical Significance Threshold*,† |
|---|---|
| AHI/RDI | –10% |
| Adherence to PAP therapy | +0.5 h/night; +10% patient use > 4 h/night10,20,21 |
| Excessive sleepiness | — |
| ESS | –2 points22–24 |
| Quality of life | — |
| FOSQ | +1 point10,21 |
| SAQLI | +1 point10,21 |
| SF-36 | — |
| Physical Component Summary | +3 points25 |
| Mental Component Summary | +3 points25 |
| Vitality Summary | +12.5 points26 |
| Sleep quality | — |
| PSQI | –3 points27 |
| Blood pressure | — |
| SBP | –2 mm Hg28,29 |
| DBP | –1 mm Hg28,29 |
| Snoring | — |
| VAS | –25% |
| Frequency | –10% |
| Lowest oxygen saturation | –5% |
| Oxygen desaturation index | –5 events/h |
| Perioperative death | Any reduction |
| Permanent dysphagia | — |
| Risk difference | +5% |
| MD Anderson score | +10 points30 |
| Obesity | — |
| BMI | –2 kg/m2 |
| Optimal PAP level | –1 cm H2O |
| PAP adherence | +0.5 h/night10,20,21 |
| PAP acceptance | +10% patients used |
| Motor vehicle crashes | Risk ratio of 0.9 (–10%)31–33 |
*References used to inform task force consensus. †The clinical significance thresholds are for comparison of pre- vs posttreatment effects as well as between surgery and control. AHI = apnea-hypopnea index, BMI = body mass index, DBP = diastolic blood pressure, ESS = Epworth Sleepiness Scale, FOSQ = Functional Outcome of Sleep Questionnaire, PSQI = Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, RDI = respiratory disturbance index, SAQLI = Calgary Sleep Apnea Quality of Life Index, SBP = systolic blood pressure; SF-36 = Short Form-36-item, VAS = visual analog scale. PAP – positive airway pressure.