Effect of Upper Airway Stimulation in Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea (EFFECT)

Effect of Upper Airway Stimulation: A Randomized Controlled Crossover Study

Upper Airway Stimulation is a new therapy, which is available for patients with obstructive sleep apnea, who are non-compliant to the standard treatment continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. This study is a prospective, multi-center, double-blinded, randomized crossover study conducted under a common protocol. The study visits include baseline with an in-laboratory polysomnography (PSG) after six months of therapy usage, followed by visits and in-lab PSGs at 1 and 2-weeks where the Therapy stimulation will be changed at each, according to randomization. The objective of this randomized controlled crossover study is to assess treatment effect of Inspire UAS in patients at different time points with two different therapy settings. This study will provide additional clinical evidence of Inspire UAS for treatment of moderate to severe OSA using a randomized controlled crossover trial design.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Obstructive Sleep Apnea
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: Upper Airway Stimulation

Detailed Description

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is characterized by recurrent episodes of airflow obstruction in the upper airway that results in oxygen desaturations and arousal from sleep. The most common symptom of OSA is excessive daytime sleepiness. Recent studies have also shown clear association of OSA with the development of obesity, hypertension diabetes mellitus, and congestive heart failure. Approximately 13% men and 6% women have moderate to severe OSA (apnea hypopnea index, AHI ≥ 15) in the US.

The efficacy of therapies for OSA, and in particular, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) has been limited due to patient intolerance, poor patient selection, or limited response to the therapy.

The Inspire Upper Airway Stimulation (UAS) system is intended to prevent upper airway obstruction by stimulating the hypoglossal nerve synchronous with respiration [7].

The Inspire system is comprised of the following components:

• Inspire Upper Airway Stimulator (Implantable Pulse Generator (IPG))
• Inspire Stimulation Lead
• Inspire Sensing Lead

• External programmers used with the system are:

  • Inspire Programmer (physician programmer)
  • Inspire Patient Programmer (patient remote)

The Inspire system received CE Mark in 2010 (CE Certificate No. 562872) providing the regulatory authority to provide the device in a commercial setting. Furthermore, this study will be conducted within the CE marked intended use of the Inspire system and will not involve any additional stressful or invasive tests.

The objective of this randomized controlled crossover study is to assess treatment effect of Inspire UAS in patients at different time points with two different therapy settings. This study will provide additional clinical evidence of Inspire UAS for treatment of moderate to severe OSA using a randomized controlled crossover trial design.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 100
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Germany
  • Bayern
    • Munich, Bayern, Germany, 81675
      • Department of Ear Nose Throat

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Otherwise healthy subjects that are at least 18 years old and:

  1. Have been implanted and using the Inspire Therapy for at least six months
  2. Willing and capable to undergo three in-lab PSGs in a one-month timeframe
  3. Willing and capable of having reduced Inspire stimulation for one week
  4. Willing and capable of providing informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Subjects who meet any of the following criteria will be excluded from this clinical investigation:

  1. Unwilling to complete three in-lab PSGs within a 1-month timeframe
  2. Any other reason the investigator deems subject is unfit for participation in the study

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: Triple

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: therapeutic stimulation; Therapeutic Stimulation: optimal therapy setting for home use	Device: Upper Airway Stimulation; hypoglossal nerve stimulation by using a breathing cycle depended stimulation system of the upper airway; Other Names: Inspire
Sham Comparator: sham stimulation; Sham Stimulation (Control Group): stimulation voltage programmed at 0.1 volts	Device: Upper Airway Stimulation; hypoglossal nerve stimulation by using a breathing cycle depended stimulation system of the upper airway; Other Names: Inspire

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in AHI from Baseline to Visit 1 and Visit 2	Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI) is a measure of OSA severity. The AHI in this study will be determined by the AHI score at Visit 1 and Visit 2 compared with the baseline score.	Baseline through Visit 1 (1 week) and Visit 2 (2 weeks)
Change in ESS from Baseline to Visit 1 and Visit 2	The Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) is a validated instruction that rates a subject's daytime sleepiness. The ESS efficacy endpoint will be determined by the ESS score at Visit 1 and Visit 2 as compared to baseline.	Baseline through Visit 1 (1 week) and Visit 2 (2 weeks)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in FOSQ from Baseline to Visit 1 and Visit 2	The Functional Outcomes of Sleep Questionnaire (FOSQ) is a validated instrument to assess the effect of a subject's daytime sleepiness on activities of ordinary living. The FOSQ endpoint will be determined by the FOSQ score at Visit 1 and Visit 2 as compared to baseline.	Baseline through Visit 1 (1 week) and Visit 2 (2 weeks)
Change in Snoring Intensity from Baseline to Visit 1 and Visit 2	Snoring Intensity will be measured by using a visual analoge scale from 0 (no snoring) to 10 (heavy snoring). The snoring intensity endpoint will be determined by the visual analogue scale at Visit 1 and Visit 2 as compared to baseline.	Baseline through Visit 1 (1 week) and Visit 2 (2 weeks)
Therapy Adherence	Therapy use, reported as hours of use per week, is record by Inspire device and can be collected upon interrogation of the device in the clinic. This value can be used to quantify device use and adherence over the investigated time period.	Baseline through Visit 1 (1 week) and Visit 2 (2 weeks)
Change in ODI from Baseline to Visit 1 and Visit 2	Oxygen Desaturation Index (ODI) is a measure of OSA severity. The ODI will be determined by the ODI score at Visit 1 and Visit 2 as compared with to baseline	Baseline through Visit 1 (1 week) and Visit 2 (2 weeks)
Change in Clinical Global Impression (CGI-I) from Baseline to Visit 1 and Visit 2	The CGI-I is a seven point scale that requires the clinician to assess how much the patient's illness has improved or worsened relative to a baseline state at the beginning of the intervention.	Baseline through Visit 1 (1 week) and Visit 2 (2 weeks)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Technical University of Munich
• Collaborators: University of Luebeck; Universitätsmedizin Mannheim
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Clemens Heiser, M.D., Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich

Publications and helpful links

Helpful Links

• Homepage for Department

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 16, 2019
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 31, 2020
• Study Completion (Actual): December 30, 2021

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 27, 2018
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 29, 2018
• First Posted (Actual): November 30, 2018

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): November 27, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 23, 2023
• Last Verified: October 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Nervous System Diseases; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Apnea; Respiration Disorders; Sleep Disorders, Intrinsic; Dyssomnias; Sleep Wake Disorders; Sleep Apnea Syndromes; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive
• Other Study ID Numbers: EFFECT

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No