A comparison between positional therapy and continuous positive airway pressure therapy for positional obstructive sleep apnoea..

Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) is a chronic disorder characterised by recurrent episodes of complete or partial upper airway obstruction during sleep contributing to repetitive arousals and subsequent symptoms of non-restorative sleep. In a subset of patients with OSA, obstructive events occur much more frequently during supine sleep. In such patients, considered to have positional OSA (pOSA), vibrotactile positional therapy has been shown to restrict supine sleep thereby reducing the severity of OSA, improving sleep architecture and depression scores. These devices can also be used to accurately monitor adherence and other treatment outcomes. This study will undertake a prospective crossover trial of positional and CPAP therapy in eligible patients (see Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria) with mild-to-moderate positional OSA. In a prospective, randomized crossover trial, patients with pOSA will undergo an 8 week trial of both positional therapy (NightShift) and CPAP. The primary end-point for comparison will be change in subjective sleepiness, as measured by the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS).