SynthesisThorax2023
Efficacy of vibrotactile positional therapy devices on patients with positional obstructive sleep apnoea: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Thorax, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 1 of them a synthesis 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
11 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 18 citations in OpenAlex.
- Oral appliance therapy vs. positional therapy for managing positional obstructive sleep apnea; a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials.BMC oral health · 2024Pooled it
- Positional Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Model for Precision Sleep Medicine.Journal of otorhinolaryngology, hearing and balance medicine · 2026Article
- "Phenotyping obstructive sleep apnea: a pathway to precision medicine".Sleep & breathing = Schlaf & Atmung · 2026Review
- Redefining Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Treatment in the Modern Era.Pathophysiology : the official journal of the International Society for Pathophysiology · 2026Review
- Management of Patients with Asthma, COPD, and OSA in Outpatient Unit: ACOSOU-Global Perspectives and Challenges.Pulmonary therapy · 2026Review
- A perspective on precision medicine in obstructive sleep apnea: from pathophysiological phenotyping to integrated management pathways.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Article
- Article
- Positional obstructive sleep apnea in children prescribed continuous positive airway pressure therapy for obstructive sleep-disordered breathing.Journal of sleep research · 2025Article
- Positional Therapy: A Real Opportunity in the Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea? An Update from the Literature.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Positional therapy: is it ready for prime time?Journal of clinical sleep medicine : JCSM : official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine · 2025Article
- Influence of Sleep Stage on the Determination of Positional Dependency in Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea.Clinical and experimental otorhinolaryngology · 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
4 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
Abstract
introductionVibrotactile positional therapy (PT) devices are a new treatment modality for positional obstructive sleep apnoea (POSA). This review aimed to determine the effect of vibrotactile PT on the Apnoea Hypopnoea Index (AHI) and the percentage of time spent in the supine position (%Tsupine) in patients with POSA, compared with baseline. Secondary aims were to investigate the effect on daytime sleepiness, quality of life and sleep quality.
methodsA systematic review and meta-analysis was performed of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and cohort studies that investigated the effect of vibrotactile PT in POSA patients. Searches were performed via MEDLINE, CENTRAL and Embase up to 29 October 2022.
results1119 studies were identified, 18 studies met the inclusion criteria (10 RCTs, 8 cohort studies). The use of vibrotactile PT significantly reduced the AHI at follow-up compared with baseline (mean difference (95% CI) -9.19 events/hour (-11.68 to -6.70); p<0.00001). The mean %Tsupine was also significantly reduced (mean difference (95% CI) -32.79% (-38.75% to -26.83%); p<0.00001). The percentage changes in the AHI and %Tsupine were 43% and 70%, respectively. Secondary outcomes were daytime sleepiness, quality of life and sleep indices. These showed minimal change, although follow-up was short.
conclusionVibrotactile PT devices are effective in treating POSA; reducing both AHI and %Tsupine. The effect on sleep quality, daytime sleepiness and disease-specific quality of life was minimal. However, there were limited data and follow-up was often brief, meaning that further research is needed to determine the effect of vibrotactile PT on patient-centred outcomes. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42020188617.
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.