ReviewNature and science of sleep2018
Obstructive sleep apnea: focus on myofunctional therapy.
Review in Nature and science of sleep, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT05311280 (The Effect of High Intensity Interval Exercise and Myofunctional Therapy on Obstructive Sleep Apnea), which is not on this map. Cited by 52 papers, 3 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.
The Effect of High Intensity Interval Exercise and Myofunctional Therapy on Obstructive Sleep Apnea: a Randomized Clinical Controlled Trial
Who cites it
52 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 138 citations in OpenAlex.
- Models of anatomically based oropharyngeal rehabilitation with a multilevel approach for patients with obstructive sleep apnea: a meta-synthesis and meta-analysis.Sleep & breathing = Schlaf & Atmung · 2020Pooled it
- Myofunctional therapy (oropharyngeal exercises) for obstructive sleep apnoea.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2020Pooled it
- A systematic review of smartphone applications and devices for obstructive sleep apnea.Brazilian journal of otorhinolaryngologyPooled it
- Effects of different treatments for obstructive sleep apnea on temporomandibular joint: a randomized clinical trial.BMC oral health · 2024Trial
- The effect of tongue elevation muscle training in patients with obstructive sleep apnea: A randomised controlled trial.Journal of oral rehabilitation · 2022Trial
- Investigation of the Effectiveness of Traditional Breathing Therapy on Pulmonary Function in College Students with Obstructive Sleep Apnea.Contrast media & molecular imaging · 2022Trial
- Effects of oropharyngeal exercises on orofacial function and corticomotor excitability in healthy individuals.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Comment in response to the letter to the editor entitled "Reflections on training specificity and age-related factors in oropharyngeal myofunctional therapy for obstructive sleep apnoea".Sleep & breathing = Schlaf & Atmung · 2026Article
- Telemedicine-delivered myofunctional therapy remodels upper airway anatomy in obstructive sleep apnea: a prospective controlled study.Journal of clinical sleep medicine : JCSM : official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine · 2026Article
- Effects of modified uvulopalatopharyngoplasty combined with pharyngeal and genioglossus exercises on sleep quality, cognitive function, and quality of life in patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome: a retrospective study.Frontiers in surgery · 2026Article
- Article
- Rehabilitation and therapeutic exercise in obstructive sleep apnea: a perspective beyond the apnea-hypopnea index.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Review
- Effects of Web-Based Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy on Hyoid Bone Position in Adults with Mild to Moderate Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Evidence from an Estonian Substudy of a Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Article
- Highlights of the Sleep and Breathing Conference 2025.Breathe (Sheffield, England) · 2025Article
- Diagnostic Accuracy of an Orofacial Scale for the Detection of Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders in Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnoea.Journal of oral rehabilitation · 2025Article
- Effects of Orofacial Myofunctional Exercises on Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty Outcome: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Indian journal of otolaryngology and head and neck surgery : official publication of the Association of Otolaryngologists of India · 2025Article
- The effect of orofacial myofunctional therapy on biometrics and compliance of positive airway pressure therapy in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.Sleep & breathing = Schlaf & Atmung · 2025Article
- The Impact of a Tongue Training Device on Tongue Muscle Strength in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea After Modified Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty: A Pilot Study.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2025Article
- Orofacial myofunctional signs and symptoms in adults with sleep breathing disorder: is there a correlation?CoDAS · 2025Observational
- Comprehensive analysis of orofacial motor skills in children with obstructive sleep apnea.Sleep & breathing = Schlaf & Atmung · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeOrofacial myofunctional therapy (OMT) is a modality of treatment for children and adults with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) to promote changes in the musculature of the upper airways. This review summarizes and discusses the effects of OMT on OSA, the therapeutic programs employed, and their possible mechanisms of action.
methodsWe conducted an online literature search using the databases MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science. Search terms were "obstructive sleep apnea" in combination with "myofunctional therapy" OR "oropharyngeal exercises" OR "speech therapy". We considered original articles in English and Portuguese containing a diagnosis of OSA based on polysomnography (PSG). The primary outcomes of interest for this review were objective measurement derived from PSG and subjective sleep symptoms. The secondary outcome was the evaluation of orofacial myofunctional status.
resultsEleven studies were included in this review. The studies reviewed reveal that several benefits of OMT were demonstrated in adults, which include significant decrease of apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), reduced arousal index, improvement in subjective symptoms of daytime sleepiness, sleep quality, and life quality. In children with residual apnea, OMT promoted a decrease of AHI, increase in oxygen saturation, and improvement of orofacial myofunctional status. Few of the studies reviewed reported the effects of OMT on the musculature.
conclusionThe present review showed that OMT is effective for the treatment of adults in reducing the severity of OSA and snoring, and improving the quality of life. OMT is also successful for the treatment of children with residual apnea. In addition, OMT favors the adherence to continuous positive airway pressure. However, randomized and high-quality studies are still rare, and the effects of treatment should also be analyzed on a long-term basis, including measures showing if changes occurred in the musculature.
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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.