title: Comparison of adjustable and fixed oral appliances for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the efficacy of adjustable and fixed oral appliances for the treatment of OSA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective review of consecutive patients with OSA treated with either adjustable or fixed oral appliances. Polysomnography was conducted before and during therapy. Effective treatment was defined as an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) < 5 events/h or < 10 events/h with resolution of sleepiness (Epworth < 10). We compared efficacy rates between fixed and adjustable appliances and sought to identify factors associated with greater success.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We included 805 patients, 602 (74.8%) treated with an adjustable and 203 (25.2%) a fixed oral appliances. Among the cohort, 86.4% were men; mean age was 41.3 ± 9.2 years. Mean AHI was 30.7 ± 25.6, with 34.1% having mild (AHI 5-14.9), 29.2% moderate (AHI 15-29.9), and 36.8% severe (AHI ≥ 30) OSA. Successful therapy was significantly more common with adjustable appliances. Obstructive events were reduced to < 5/h in 56.8% with adjustable compared to 47.0% with fixed appliances (p = 0.02). Similarly, a reduction of events to < 10 with resolution of sleepiness occurred in 66.4% with adjustable appliances versus 44.9% with fixed appliances (p < 0.001). For both devices, success was more common in younger patients, with lower BMI and less severe disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adjustable devices produced greater reductions in obstructive events and were more likely to provide successful therapy, especially in moderate-severe OSA. Fixed appliances were effective in mild disease, but were less successful in those with higher AHIs. Given these findings, the baseline AHI should be considered when selecting the type of oral appliance.
authors: Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, DC 20307, USA. christopher.lettieri@us.army.mil
authors: Christopher J
authors: CJ
authors: Lettieri
authors: Nathalie
authors: N
authors: Paolino
authors: Arn H
authors: AH
authors: Eliasson
authors: Anita A
authors: AA
authors: Shah
authors: Aaron B
authors: AB
authors: Holley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019186:Mandibular Advancement; D009967:Orthodontic Appliances; D009968:Orthodontic Appliances, Removable; D017286:Polysomnography / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D016896:Treatment Outcome