Research

Hormonal

Hypoglossal nerve stimulation (HGNS) significantly reduces apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and improves sleep quality in adults with moderate-to-severe OSA who are intolerant of or fail CPAP therapy.

If you have moderate-to-severe sleep apnea and cannot tolerate CPAP, ask your doctor about hypoglossal nerve stimulation (HGNS). It involves a small implant that stimulates the nerve controlling your tongue to keep your airway open during sleep. It is not for everyone (e.g., severe obesity or specific anatomical issues may exclude you), but for eligible patients, it significantly reduces apnea events and improves sleep quality without the daily hassle of a CPAP machine.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
In the STAR trial, selected patients achieved a median reduction in AHI of 68% (from 29.3 to 9.0 events/h), with 66% of patients attaining both ≥50% AHI reduction and an AHI < 20 events/h [121].
Soo Kyoung Park et al. · Journal of Clinical Medicine · 2025

Why this rating

Based on STAR trial and 5-year follow-up data, which are high-quality RCTs and long-term observational data.

Source

Advancing Obstructive Sleep Apnea Management: Recent Trends from Conventional to Innovative Therapies

Soo Kyoung Park et al. · Journal of Clinical Medicine · 2025

DOI 10.3390/jcm14217586

narrative_reviewCited 6×
Read the paper
DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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