Predicting response to the tongue retaining device for sleep apnea syndrome
R. D. Cartwright
Factors associated with increased severity of sleep apnea; obesity, the
supine sleep posture, and age, were tested for their association with the
effectiveness of the Tongue Retaining Device (TRD) for the control of the
apneic events in a group of 16 male patients. Sixty-nine percent of the
patients (11 of 16) were successful with this treatment. The strongest
predictor of this success was the presence of an increased severity
associated with the supine sleep posture. Patients with substantial
worsening of apnea index while in the supine sleep position were more
responsive to the TRD than those who were equally affected in both sleep
positions. A discriminant function analysis that entered age, obesity, and
the ratio of apneas per hour in side v back sleep posture correctly
classified the success of patients' response to this treatment.
