โก Quick Summary
A recent seminar on sleep apnoea highlighted the need for a multifaceted approach in research, integrating insights from animal models, artificial intelligence, and metabolomics. The discussion emphasized the limitations of current randomized controlled trials and proposed innovative platform clinical trial designs to enhance treatment efficacy.
๐ Key Details
- ๐ Event: European Respiratory Society seminar, January 2024, Lisbon, Portugal
- ๐งฌ Focus: Sleep apnoea and its cardiometabolic consequences
- ๐ Key Topics: Metabolomics, AI, diagnostic algorithms, real-world data
- โ๏ธ Limitations: Low adherence and patient selection bias in current RCTs
๐ Key Takeaways
- ๐ Current RCTs face challenges like low patient adherence and selection bias.
- ๐ก Real-world data is essential for understanding treatment effects in diverse patient populations.
- ๐ค AI and metabolomics can enhance diagnostic accuracy and treatment personalization.
- ๐ Platform “disease-focused” trials could improve trial efficiency and relevance.
- ๐ A multifaceted research approach is crucial for advancing OSA understanding and management.
- ๐งช Emerging treatments like new drugs and devices need comparative studies against CPAP.
- ๐ Improved outcomes for OSA patients are a primary goal of the proposed research strategies.

๐ Background
Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a prevalent condition that significantly impacts cardiovascular health and overall well-being. Traditional research methods, particularly randomized controlled trials, often fail to capture the complexities of OSA, leading to a gap in effective treatment strategies. The recent seminar aimed to bridge this gap by exploring innovative research methodologies and technologies.
๐๏ธ Study
The seminar brought together experts to discuss the latest findings in OSA research, focusing on the integration of animal models, artificial intelligence, and metabolomics. The discussions highlighted the need for a more comprehensive understanding of OSA’s mechanisms and treatment responses, advocating for the use of real-world data to inform clinical practices.
๐ Results
The expert panel concluded that current RCTs are limited by factors such as low adherence and patient selection bias. They recommended adopting platform clinical trial designs that allow for more adaptable and representative studies, comparing CPAP with emerging therapies. This approach could lead to a better understanding of effective management strategies for OSA.
๐ Impact and Implications
The insights gained from this seminar could significantly influence the future of OSA research and treatment. By leveraging advanced technologies and innovative trial designs, researchers can develop more effective interventions tailored to the diverse needs of OSA patients. This could ultimately lead to improved health outcomes and quality of life for those affected by this condition.
๐ฎ Conclusion
The seminar underscored the importance of a multifaceted approach in OSA research, combining insights from various fields to enhance understanding and treatment efficacy. As we move forward, embracing new methodologies and technologies will be crucial in addressing the challenges posed by OSA and improving patient care. The future of OSA research looks promising, and continued collaboration among experts will be key to unlocking new possibilities.
๐ฌ Your comments
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Sleep apnoea and its consequences: from animal models to precision medicine.
Abstract
A European Respiratory Society research seminar entitled “Sleep Apnoea and Its Consequences: From Animal Models to Precision Medicine” was held in January 2024 in Lisbon, Portugal. It provided an in-depth analysis of the current landscape and future directions in OSA research, integrating recent findings from metabolomics, animal models, clinical predictors of cardiometabolic consequences of OSA, artificial intelligence (AI), and advances in diagnostic algorithms. This article presents a narrative review of the seminar’s key discussions and conclusions. The limitations of current randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in assessing OSA treatment, such as low adherence and patient selection bias (e.g., absence of sleepiness or severe hypoxemia), were critically discussed. The expert panel recommended the use of real-world data, including patients commonly seen in clinical practice, and the use of digital tools for real-time monitoring of adherence and side effects. The concept of platform “disease-focused” trials was discussed as a more efficient and adaptable research design that could allow clinical trials to be more representative of the general OSA population and to compare CPAP with emerging treatments such as new drugs, devices and lifestyle interventions to gain a broader understanding of effective management strategies. The seminar concluded that a multifaceted approach to OSA research that leverages the strengths of animal models, advanced AI, metabolomics, and improved diagnostic algorithms is needed to gain deeper insights into the mechanisms of OSA and its treatment response. This new approach, coupled with new “platform” clinical trial designs, could contribute to improved outcomes in patients with OSA.
Author: [‘Heinzer R’, ‘Pepin JL’, ‘Ryan S’, ‘Arnaud C’, ‘Blanchard M’, ‘Cortese R’, ‘Lombardi C’, ‘Cohen O’, ‘Waeber A’, ‘Pengo M’, ‘Peker Y’, ‘de Batlle J’, ‘McNicholas WT’, ‘Randerath W’, ‘Gagnadoux F’, ‘Azarbarzin A’, ‘Sanchez-de-la-Torre M’]
Journal: Sleep Med
Citation: Heinzer R, et al. Sleep apnoea and its consequences: from animal models to precision medicine. Sleep apnoea and its consequences: from animal models to precision medicine. 2026; 140:108777. doi: 10.1016/j.sleep.2026.108777