Effect of myofunctional therapy on children with obstructive sleep apnea: a meta-analysis.

Objective: To systematically review the current literature for articles describing the effect of myofunctional therapy on pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and to perform a meta-analysis on the sleep study data.

Methods: Three authors (A.B., K.K. and M.C.) independently searched from inception through April 20, 2020 in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Embase, Google Scholar and The Cochrane Library. Mean difference (MD), standard deviations and 95% confidence intervals were combined in the meta-analysis for apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), mean oxygen saturations, and lowest oxygen saturations (nadir O2).

Results: 10 studies with 241 patients met study criteria and were further analyzed. The AHI reduced from 4.32 (5.2) to 2.48 (4.0) events/hr, a 43% reduction. Random effects modeling demonstrated a mean difference in AHI of -1.54 (95% CI -2.24,-0.85)/hr, z-score is 4.36 (p < 0.0001). Mean oxygen saturation increased by 0.37 (95% CI 0.06,0.69) percent, z-score is 2.32 (p = 0.02). There was no significant increase in nadir O2.

Conclusions: Despite heterogeneity in exercises, myofunctional therapy decreased AHI by 43% in children, and increased mean oxygen saturations in children with mild to moderate OSA and can serve as an adjunct OSA treatment.