Long-term quality-of-life outcomes following treatment for adult obstructive sleep apnoea: comparison of upper airway surgery, continuous positive airway pressure and mandibular advancement splints.

OBJECTIVE: Long-term quality-of-life (QOL) outcomes, complications and clinical effectiveness in patients undergoing treatment with upper airway surgery (UAS), continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and mandibular advancement splints (MAS) for adult obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Multidisciplinary OSA clinic in University teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Consecutive, simultaneously treated patients with OSA undergoing UAS (n = 83), CPAP (n = 83) and MAS (n = 79). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Glasgow Benefit Inventory (GBI), Snoring Severity Scale (SSS), Epworth Sleepiness Score (ESS) and side-effects in all three groups were recorded at a mean of 34.5 months following start of treatment and compared via anova with Bonferroni's adjustment for pairwise comparisons. RESULTS: Upper airway surgery demonstrated a statistically significant QOL benefit over MAS. All three groups showed a significant improvement in SSS with CPAP significantly better than MAS, but equivalent to UAS. Uncomplicated UAS provided a greater QOL outcome than compliant MAS, non-compliant CPAP (P < 0.05) and comparable to compliant CPAP. Patients undergoing UAS with recorded complications still reported equivalent QOL outcomes to compliant CPAP and MAS, suggesting these surgical complications are relatively minor compared to the QOL benefit of OSA treatment. CONCLUSION: Upper airway surgery showed a significant improvement in QOL outcomes compared to non-compliant CPAP or MAS and equivalent benefit to compliant CPAP. This study strongly supports the role for contemporary UAS in OSA when CPAP is not or no longer an option.

Obstructive sleep apnoea: a review of the orofacial implications.

Obstructive sleep apnoea is a complex multifactorial condition produced by a combination of anatomical and physiological factors. There is a significant associated mortality and morbidity to obstructive sleep apnoea. There is an at least 25 per cent increased mortality from cardiovascular disease when obstructive sleep apnoea patients are compared to age and gender matched healthy people. Obstructive sleep apnoea sufferers also have a much higher industrial and motor vehicle accident rate. Management of the condition should be undertaken by a multidisciplinary team including respiratory physicians, sleep laboratory technicians, otorhinolaryngologists, oral and maxillofacial surgeons and dental specialists. The diagnostic and therapeutic interactions of team members are the key to successful treatment. The treatment regime utilises nasal continuous positive airway pressure devices, mandibular advancement splints and soft and hard tissue surgery. This review provides the dental practitioner with an introduction to obstructive sleep apnoea with particular emphasis on the orofacial aspects.

The needs of the homebound and institutionalized in South Australia, 1977.

A survey of 1,658 homebound and institutionalized persons suggested that about 7,000 chronically ill South Australians may need dental care and that such treatment is currently unavailable to the great majority of them.