ReviewSleep & breathing = Schlaf & Atmung2013
The undervalued potential of positional therapy in position-dependent snoring and obstructive sleep apnea-a review of the literature.
Review in Sleep & breathing = Schlaf & Atmung, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 102 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Validity of a Vibrating Postural Device for the Treatment of Positional Obstructive Sleep Apnea (Postural)
The Effect of Head Pitch and Roll Rotation Independent of Torso Rotation on the AHI in Positional Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Who cites it
102 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 241 citations in OpenAlex.
- Individualized treatment selection for obstructive sleep apnea: network meta-analysis focusing on position dependent patients.BMC pulmonary medicine · 2026Pooled it
- Comparative efficacy of sleep positional therapy, oral appliance therapy, and CPAP in obstructive sleep apnea: a meta-analysis of mean changes in key outcomes.Frontiers in medicine · 2025Pooled it
- The influence of position-dependency on surgical success in sleep apnea surgery - a systematic review.Sleep & breathing = Schlaf & Atmung · 2020Pooled it
- Positional therapy for obstructive sleep apnoea.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2019Pooled it
- Efficacy of the New Generation of Devices for Positional Therapy for Patients With Positional Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Systematic Review of the Literature and Meta-Analysis.Journal of clinical sleep medicine : JCSM : official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine · 2017Pooled it
- The Use of Remotely Controlled Mandibular Positioner as a Predictive Screening Tool for Mandibular Advancement Device Therapy in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea through Single-Night Progressive Titration of the Mandible: A Systematic Review.Journal of clinical sleep medicine : JCSM : official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine · 2016Pooled it
- Diagnosis and treatment of snoring in adults-S2k Guideline of the German Society of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery.Sleep & breathing = Schlaf & Atmung · 2015Guideline
- Prospective crossover trial of positional and CPAP therapy for the treatment of mild-to-moderate positional obstructive sleep apnea.Journal of clinical sleep medicine : JCSM : official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine · 2025Trial
- Trial
- Trial
- Modifying maternal sleep position in the third trimester of pregnancy with positional therapy: a randomised pilot trial.BMJ open · 2018Trial
- Influence of head position on obstructive sleep apnea severity.Sleep & breathing = Schlaf & Atmung · 2017Trial
- The influence of head-of-bed elevation in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.Sleep & breathing = Schlaf & Atmung · 2017Trial
- The effect on snoring of using a pillow to change the head position.Sleep & breathing = Schlaf & Atmung · 2017Trial
- Positional therapy in sleep apnoea - one fits all? What determines success in positional therapy in sleep apnoea syndrome.PloS one · 2017Trial
- A promising concept of combination therapy for positional obstructive sleep apnea.Sleep & breathing = Schlaf & Atmung · 2015Trial
- Sleep position trainer versus tennis ball technique in positional obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.Journal of clinical sleep medicine : JCSM : official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine · 2015Trial
- Positional Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Model for Precision Sleep Medicine.Journal of otorhinolaryngology, hearing and balance medicine · 2026Article
- Individualized Treatment Approaches for Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Older Adults: Beyond Continuous Positive Airway Pressure.Advances in geriatric medicine and research · 2026Article
- Redefining Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Treatment in the Modern Era.Pathophysiology : the official journal of the International Society for Pathophysiology · 2026Review
42 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
- Commented on by
Authors and funding
4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeResearch during the past 10-20 years shows that positional therapy (PT) has a significant influence on the apnea-hypopnea index. These studies are predominantly performed as case series on a comparably small number of patients. Still, results have not found their way into the daily diagnostic and treatment routine. An average of 56 % of patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have position-dependent OSA (POSA), commonly defined as a difference of 50 % or more in apnea index between supine and non-supine positions. A great deal could be gained in treating patients with POSA with PT. The aim of this paper was to perform a thorough review of the literature on positional sleep apnea and its therapy.
methodsA broad search strategy was run electronically in the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases using synonyms for position and sleep apnea.
resultsSixteen studies were found which examined the effect of PT on OSA. In this literature review, we discuss the various techniques, results, and compliance rates.
conclusionLong-term compliance for PT remains an issue, and although remarkable results have been shown using innovative treatment concepts for PT, there is room for both technical improvement of the devices and for further research.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.