Adherence and Side Effects Among Patients Treated With Oral Appliance Therapy for Obstructive Sleep Apnea
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Study Objectives: Oral appliance therapy (OAT) is a common treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of patient knowledge and concern for the consequences of untreated OSA, perceived partner satisfaction, and reported adverse effects, and relate these to patient adherence to OAT.
Methods: Subjects consisted of patients treated for OSA using OAT for at least 1 year. Subjects were administered a telephone survey regarding their adherence to treatment, knowledge and concern about OSA, partner satisfaction, adverse effects, and, where appropriate, reasons for discontinued treatment. Subjects were categorized into adherent (to OAT), and nonadherent to OAT, i.e., CPAP, or no treatment groups.
Results: A total of 283 patients were contacted, and 136 responded (48.1%): 104 adherent (76.1%) and 32 non-adherent (23.5%). Of the 32 in the nonadherent group, 13 (40.6%) had returned to CPAP usage, and 18 (56.3%) were using no treatment at all. There was no difference in the level of self-reported knowledge about OSA among the three groups (P>0.05). However, the adherent and CPAP groups had significantly higher levels of self-reported concern about the consequences of untreated OSA when compared to the no-treatment group (P<0.0001, P = 0.0002). Partner satisfaction was reported as significantly higher in the adherent group than in the other groups (P = 0.0213, P = 0.0213). No difference in the severity of snoring was found before or after treatment in any of the three groups (P > 0.05).
Conclusions: Educating patients on the health consequences of untreated OSA and addressing the concerns of patient partners may increase adherence to treatment with oral appliances and may help reduce the number of patients who discontinue all treatment.
Keywords: OSA; Oral Appliance Therapy; CPAP; Adherence; Side Effects
Citation: Murphy S, Maerz R, Sheets V, McLaughlin V, Beck M, Johnston WM, Firestone AR. Adherence and side effects among patients treated with oral appliance therapy for obstructive sleep apnea. J Dent Sleep Med. 2020;7(1)
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