Mandibular advancement device (MAD) therapy is the most commonly used second-line treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), but MAD may be ineffective in a subgroup of patients. We describe the use of a trial of a titratable thermoplastic MAD to predict treatment outcomes with a custom-made MAD.
Patients treated with a thermoplastic MAD as a trial before custom-made MAD manufacturing were included in the study. Sleep recordings and clinical outcomes assessed after 6 months of treatment with each device were compared. Predictive utility of thermoplastic MAD to identify custom-made MAD treatment success defined as a reduction greater than 50% and final apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) less than 10 events/h was evaluated.
Thermoplastic MADs were installed in 111 patients, but only 36 patients were finally treated with both devices and were included in the analysis. A significant correlation was observed between the impact of the two devices on the AHI (r=0.85, p<0.0001), oxygen desaturation index (r=0.73, p<0.0001), snoring index (r=0.85, p<0.0001), and Epworth sleepiness scale (r=0.77, p<0.0001). A high positive predictive value (86%) but a low negative predictive value (46%) was observed regarding AHI decrease.
Similar impacts of both MADs were observed on major OSA severity markers and symptoms. The ability of thermoplastic MAD to indicate likelihood of success with custom-made MAD will require further controlled studies.
Thermoplastic MADs could represent a useful and easily implemented tool to predict the likelihood of success of a custom-made MAD as treatment for OSA.

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