title: First-choice treatment in mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea: single-stage, multilevel, temperature-controlled radiofrequency tissue volume reduction or nasal continuous positive airway pressure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the efficacy of single-stage, multilevel, temperature-controlled radiofrequency tissue volume reduction (TCRFTVR) for the soft palate and base of the tongue with that of nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in primary treatment of mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective nonrandomized clinical study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary care referral center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from 47 patients with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea treated between January 1, 2003, and October 31, 2006, were reviewed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-six patients underwent TCRFTVR and 21 underwent nasal CPAP as a primary treatment modality.
  
  
  METHODS
  Baseline and 12-month posttreatment measurements using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and polysomnography were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The baseline characteristics of the groups were not significantly different. Both methods showed meaningful results for the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and polysomnography variables 12 months after treatment compared with baseline measurements. The results were not significantly different in the posttreatment intergroup comparisons. Treatment success rates were 52.4% for nasal CPAP and 53.8% for TCRFTVR (P = .92).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Similar comparison results with nasal CPAP in objective and subjective variables make single-stage, multilevel TCRFTVR a good alternative in primary treatment of mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea.
authors.affiliation: Ear, Nose, and Throat Department, Ministry of Health, Ankara Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Kursat
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ceylan
authors.forename: Hatice
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Emir
authors.forename: Zeynep
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kizilkaya
authors.forename: Eren
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tastan
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yavanoglu
authors.forename: Hakki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Uzunkulaoglu
authors.forename: Erdal
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Samim
authors.forename: Sevim Arslan
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Felek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D045422:Continuous Positive Airway Pressure / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010160:Palate, Soft / Q000601:surgery*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D017286:Polysomnography / Q000379:methods; D011336:Probability; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D012894:Sleep Stages / Q000502:physiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000502:physiology