Sleep apnea and the nasal airway

Abstract

In summary, available literature is consistent in demonstrating an increased tendency to OSA in association with nasal obstruction, but the reported efficacy of relief of nasal obstruction as a treatment for OSA is highly variable and, in general, rather disappointing. Relatively few studies have objectively measured the efficacy of the treatment used to reduce nasal resistance, which makes it difficult to discern whether the failure to elicit improvement in snoring or OSA in those studies reflects an ineffective therapy or a bona fide treatment failure.