SynthesisSleep & breathing = Schlaf & Atmung2021
Electrical stimulation as a therapeutic approach in obstructive sleep apnea - a meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Sleep & breathing = Schlaf & Atmung, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 2 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.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 22 citations in OpenAlex.
- Efficacy of advancement treatments of the stomatognathic system on objective sleepiness in OSA: a systematic review.Journal of clinical sleep medicine : JCSM : official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine · 2025Pooled it
- European Respiratory Society guideline on non-CPAP therapies for obstructive sleep apnoea.European respiratory review : an official journal of the European Respiratory Society · 2021Guideline
- Outcomes of Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulator Implant in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients With Various Health Statuses.Laryngoscope investigative otolaryngology · 2026Article
- Chinese Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Surgical Treatment of Adult Obstructive Sleep Apnea (2024).World journal of otorhinolaryngology - head and neck surgery · 2026Article
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Cardiovascular Disease: Mechanisms, Diagnostics, and Emerging Therapeutic Approaches.Biomedicines · 2026Review
- The effect of electrical stimulation of the upper airway dilator muscles on blood pressure in healthy volunteers and patients with obstructive sleep apnoea: a systematic review and meta-analysis.ERJ open research · 2026Article
- Impact of neuromodulation on excessive daytime sleepiness: a narrative review.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2025Review
- Article
- A Review of a Recent Meta-Analysis Study on Obstructive Sleep Apnea.Journal of rhinology : official journal of the Korean Rhinologic Society · 2022Review
- Simple and Autonomous Sleep Signal Processing System for the Detection of Obstructive Sleep Apneas.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Current and novel treatment options for obstructive sleep apnoea.ERJ open research · 2022Review
- Clinical and Research Solutions to Manage Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Review.Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) · 2021Review
- Recent advances in the management of secondary hypertension-obstructive sleep apnea.Hypertension research : official journal of the Japanese Society of Hypertension · 2020Review
- Ultrasound assessment of upper airway dilator muscle contraction during transcutaneous electrical stimulation in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea.Journal of thoracic disease · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors at 4 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
Abstract
purposeElectrical stimulation of the upper airway dilator muscles is an emerging treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Invasive hypoglossal nerve stimulation (HNS) has been accepted as treatment alternative to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) for selected patients, while transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TES) of the upper airway is being investigated as non-invasive alternative.
methodsA meta-analysis (CRD42017074674) on the effects of both HNS and TES on the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) in OSA was conducted including published evidence up to May 2018. Random-effects models were used. Heterogeneity and between-study variance were assessed by I
resultsOf 41 identified clinical trials, 20 interventional trials (n = 895) could be pooled in a meta-analysis (15 HNS [n = 808], 5 TES [n = 87]). Middle-aged (mean ± SD 56.9 ± 5.5 years) and overweight (body mass index 29.1 ± 1.5 kg/m
conclusionBoth invasive and transcutaneous electrical stimulation reduce OSA severity by a clinically relevant margin. HNS results in a clinically relevant improvement of symptoms. While HNS represents an invasive treatment for selected patients with moderate to severe OSA, TES should be further investigated as potential non-invasive approach for OSA.
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.