Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33426584›Full record

ReviewSleep & breathing = Schlaf & Atmung2021

Standardized framework to report on the role of sleeping position in sleep apnea patients.

M J L Ravesloot, P E Vonk, J T Maurer, A Oksenberg, N de Vries

Open access · greenAbstract readReview
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Review 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 9 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed
2.4field-weighted citation impact, top 11% of its field
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed, 22 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Uvularis muscle strengthening advancement in palatopharyngeal collapse in selected cases of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea: a randomized trial.European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · 2026
    Trial
  2. Anterolateral advancement palatoplasty with tonsillectomy for retropalatal obstruction in selected cases of obstructive sleep apnea.European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · 2022
    Trial
  3. Community prevalence of positional obstructive sleep apnea.Journal of clinical sleep medicine : JCSM : official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine · 2025
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. International Consensus Statement on Obstructive Sleep Apnea.International forum of allergy & rhinology · 2023
    Review
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 5 institutions in 4 countries.

M J L RaveslootDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck surgery, OLVG, location West, Jan Tooropstraat 164, Jan Tooropstraat 164, 1061 AE, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. m.j.l.ravesloot@olvg.nl.ORCID 0000-0001-5645-5811
P E VonkDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck surgery, Amsterdam UMC, location AMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
J T MaurerDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Sleep Disorders Center, University Hospital Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany.
A OksenbergSleep Disorders Unit, Loewenstein Hospital-Rehabilitation Center, Raanana, Israel.
N de VriesDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck surgery, OLVG, location West, Jan Tooropstraat 164, Jan Tooropstraat 164, 1061 AE, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Academic Center for Dentistry Amsterdam · NLAmsterdam University Medical Centers · NLHeidelberg University · DELoewenstein Hospital Rehabilitation Center · ILOLVG · NL

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeSleep apnea is a multifactorial illness which can be differentiated in various physiological phenotypes as a result of both anatomical and non-anatomical contributors (e.g., low respiratory arousal threshold, high loop gain). In addition, the frequency and duration of apneas, in the majority of patients with OSA, are influenced by sleeping position. Differences in characteristics between non-positional patients (NPP) and positional patients (PP) suggest another crucial phenotype distinction, a clinical phenotype focusing on the role of sleeping position on sleep apnea. Since this clinical phenotype distinction has therapeutic implications, further research is necessary to better understand the pathophysiology behind this phenotypic trait and to improve management of PP. Therefore, we suggest a standardized framework that emphasizes the role of sleeping position when reporting clinical and research data on sleep apnea.

methodsWe identified 5 key topics whereby a standardized framework to report on the role of sleeping position would be of added value: (1) sleep study data, (2) anatomical, morphological and physiological factors, (3) drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) findings, (4) sleep apnea management, and (5) effectiveness versus efficacy of positional therapy in sleep apnea management. We performed a literature search to identify evidence to describe and support the rationale behind these 5 main recommendations.

resultsIn this paper, we present the rationale behind this construct and present specific recommendations such as reporting sleep study indices (disease severity) and sleep time spent in various sleeping positions. The same is suggested for DISE findings and effect of treatment. Sleep study indices (disease severity), anatomical, morphological, and physiological factors in sleep apnea patients should be reported separately for PP and NPP.

conclusionApplying these suggestions in future research will improve patient care, assist in better understanding of this dominant phenotype, and will enhance accurate comparisons across studies and future investigations.

Indexed as

HumansPostureSleep Apnea SyndromesComplianceObstructive sleep apneaPositionalPositional therapy“Sleep Apnea Obstructive/therapy” [Mesh]Sleeping position“Supine Position” [MeSh]

Identifiers

PMID33426584
OpenAlexW3120557518

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.