Novel avenues to approach non-CPAP therapy and implement comprehensive obstructive sleep apnoea care

Recent advances in obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) pathophysiology and translational research have opened new lines of investigation for OSA treatment and management. Key goals of such investigations are to provide efficacious, alternative treatment and management pathways that are better tailored to individual risk profiles to move beyond the traditional continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)focused, one size fits all trial-and-error approach, which is too frequently inadequate for many patients. Identification of different clinical manifestations of OSA (clinical phenotypes) and underlying pathophysiological phenotypes (endotypes) that contribute to OSA have provided novel insights into underlying mechanisms and have underpinned these efforts. Indeed, this new knowledge has provided the framework for precision medicine for OSA to improve treatment success rates with existing non-CPAP therapies such as mandibular advancement devices and upper airway surgery, and newly developed therapies such as hypoglossal nerve stimulation and emerging therapies such as pharmacotherapies and combination therapy. Additionally, these concepts have provided insight into potential physiological barriers to CPAP adherence for certain patients. This review summarises the recent advances in OSA pathogenesis, non-CPAP treatment, clinical management approaches and highlights knowledge gaps for future research. OSA endotyping and clinical phenotyping, risk stratification and personalised treatment allocation approaches are rapidly evolving and will further benefit from the support of recent advances in e-health and artificial intelligence.

Automated summary

Recent advances in the pathophysiology and translational research of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) have opened up new possibilities for treatment and management. By identifying different clinical manifestations and underlying mechanisms, researchers can develop more personalized treatment approaches. Additionally, these studies have shed light on physiological barriers to the use of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment in certain patients.