Author: Matthew Rahimi
Rahimi, Matthew, 2021 A study of posture shifts during sleep and the effects of supine-avoidance therapy in patients with supine-predominant obstructive sleep apnea, Flinders University, College of Medicine and Public Health
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Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common breathing problem in sleep and affects around 25% of males and 10% of females. Around 50% of OSA patients show positional OSA where breathing disruptions occurs only in supine sleep. Thus, simply avoiding supine sleep could be an effective therapy in this group.
Little is known about the effects of positional therapy in this population. This thesis examined the efficacy of a positional therapy via a vibratory alarm device that prevents patients from sleeping on their back against usual care, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy.
The studies presented in this thesis are original and significant and contributed to our understanding of posture shifts during sleep and its relation to obstructive sleep apnea and snoring and also provided further evidence for clinical translation of positional therapies as a viable treatment option for positional dependent OSA patients.
Keywords: sleep, sleep apnea, obstructive sleep apnea, posture shifts, sleep position, sleep posture, postural modification treatment, supine avoidance, supine predominant sleep apnea, OSA, snoring, snore, supine predminant snoring
Subject: Medical Science thesis
Thesis type: Doctor of Philosophy
Completed: 2021
School: College of Medicine and Public Health
Supervisor: Peter Catcheside