Patients with obstructive sleep apnoea treated with hypoglossal nerve stimulation report improvements in quality of life, insomnia and depression comparable to those seen with CPAP, researchers say.

Results from the first study of its kind suggest that surgical intervention could be a viable alternative for those resistant to mainstay treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).

In this retrospective cohort study, the US authors compared patient-reported outcomes among 300 adults (mean age 62) with OSA treated with CPAP or hypoglossal nerve stimulation (HNS).

Significant improvements were seen in Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scores for HNS versus CPAP (mean difference, −1.48), with comparable improvements in Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Functional Outcomes of Sleep Questionnaire (FOSQ), and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) scores.