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Open research questions in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Research

1,107 gap statements mined from Obstructive Sleep Apnea Research papers in our 7.9M-paper local library, which holds 5,341 papers on the topic — drawn mostly from each paper's own stated research gap, future-work, challenge and limitation notes, and its abstract. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one.

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What the literature leaves open

  • Current approaches emphasize that pain perception is not only modulated by local odontogenic factors, but also by patient-specific variables. There is a need to evaluate postoperative pain in patients with OSA and systemic comorbidities. The study aims to fill this gap by investigating the relationship between OSA and postoperative pain.

    Relationship Between Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Postoperative Pain After Endodontic Treatment: A Prospective Observational Clinical Study · 2026 · DOI

  • The study highlights the need for further research on sleep apnea in women.

    Explorando la prevalencia de los factores de riesgo de la apnea del sueño en mujeres · 2026 · DOI

  • The study faced challenges in evaluating the risk of bias for included randomized controlled trials due to limited reporting quality. Heterogeneity between studies was assessed using the I2 test. The research had to consider the differences in symptoms and disease patterns in individual patients.

    Traditional Chinese medicine for pediatric adenoidal hypertrophy: effects on pharyngeal muscle dysfunction based on Qi deficiency and blood stasis · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of empirical evidence to substantiate the effectiveness and mechanisms of TCM practices. Limited research on TCM treatment for adenoidal hypertrophy outside of China. No evidence to support the efficacy of oral TCM in combination with conventional Western medicine.

    Traditional Chinese medicine for pediatric adenoidal hypertrophy: effects on pharyngeal muscle dysfunction based on Qi deficiency and blood stasis · 2026 · DOI

  • One challenge is the limited clinical outcome data for the all-suture anchor TBS technique in multilevel surgery. Another challenge is ensuring patient tolerance and adherence to treatment, given the limitations of CPAP therapy. The study also faced the challenge of evaluating the effectiveness and safety of a relatively new surgical approach.

    Clinical Outcomes of Combined Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty and All-Suture Anchor Tongue Base Suspension for Obstructive Sleep Apnea · 2026 · DOI

  • Limited data exist on the impact of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) on shoulder arthroplasty outcomes. The association between OSA and adverse outcomes has been well described in lower extremity arthroplasty, but not in shoulder arthroplasty.

    Outcomes after total shoulder arthroplasty in obstructive sleep apnea patients: a retrospective cohort analysis of over 10,000 patients · 2026 · DOI

  • The available evidence on the relationship between OSA and VTE remains limited. There is substantial heterogeneity in reported OSA prevalence among patients with VTE. The timing of sleep assessment relative to the thromboembolic event is a significant factor.

    Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Pulmonary Embolism: Prevalence, Severity and the Association of Sleep-Disordered Breathing with Thromboembolic Disease · 2026 · DOI

  • Selection biases and methodological inconsistencies were observed in some studies. The lack of adequate reference standard validation and different assessment pathways limited the comparability of results across different devices and algorithms.

    Wearable Devices for Monitoring and Management of Comorbid Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Hypertension: Scoping Review · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of research on the application of wearable technology for comorbid OSA and hypertension. Current research remains largely siloed within single-disease frameworks. There is a need for studies that integrate the simultaneous tracking of OSA and hypertension.

    Wearable Devices for Monitoring and Management of Comorbid Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Hypertension: Scoping Review · 2026 · DOI

  • Circadian and environmental cues such as light exposure, temperature, and humidity may modulate sleep quality, apnea severity, and oxygenation, but large-scale, real-world data remain limited.

    Seasonal Variation in Sleep, Respiratory, and Cardiovascular Parameters Assessed by a Wearable Device · 2026 · DOI

  • Further studies using comprehensive endocrine profiling and validated male sexual function instruments are warranted.

    Impact of an interdisciplinary weight loss and lifestyle intervention on testosterone and scores for sexual activity on the FOSQ in men with obesity and obstructive sleep apnea: secondary analyses of data from the INTERAPNEA randomized trial · 2026 · DOI

  • The cervico-craniomandibular complex (CCMC) plays a critical role in musculoskeletal functions such as mouth opening and head stabilization; however, its relationship with OSA remains insufficiently explored.

    Exploring the association between cervico-cranio-mandibular musculoskeletal function and obstructive sleep apnea: A preliminary study · 2026 · DOI

  • Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a heterogeneous disorder whose associations across the entire phenome remain incompletely characterized by hypothesis-driven outcome-specific analyses.

    A Clinical Atlas for Phenome-Wide Association Study of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Across Electronic Health Record Domains · 2026 · DOI

  • However, whether the coexistence of OSA and PRISm confers increased cardiovascular risk remains unknown.

    Combined Effect of Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Preserved Ratio Impaired Spirometry on Cardiovascular Outcomes · 2026 · DOI

  • Obesity, a condition often comorbid with SDB, has been associated with high BMD, yet its impact on bone health remains controversial.

    Sleep-Disordered Breathing and Decreased Bone Mineral Density: Masking Effects of Body Mass Index · 2026 · DOI

  • The natural history of untreated obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and its cardiometabolic consequences are not fully characterized.

    Predicting sleep apnea worsening and cardiometabolic risk without treatment · 2026 · DOI

  • However, the molecular mechanisms linking OSA and sarcopenia remain poorly understood.

    Identification of shared biomarkers for obstructive sleep apnea and sarcopenia via differential expression and WGCNA analysis · 2026 · DOI

  • Data on sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in patients with heart failure with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (HFpEF) are sparse.

    Sleep-disordered breathing in patients with heart failure with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction · 2026 · DOI

  • Chewing difficulty may reflect orofacial factors linked to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) risk, yet evidence remains limited, especially regarding sex differences.

    Sex-difference in chewing difficulty and the risk of obstructive sleep apnea among middle-aged and older adults · 2026 · DOI

  • Undiagnosed OSA can be worsened by analgesic, anesthetic, and sedative drugs. OSA remains widely underdiagnosed, especially in surgical patients, raising postoperative risks. The study had to select participants based on specific inclusion criteria, such as patients over 40 years of age and those presenting risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea.

    Screening for Obstructive Sleep Apnea Among the Adult Population in the Northeastern Region of Romania · 2025 · DOI

  • Seasonal variation in sleep patterns is well recognized in PSG studies and actigraphy, yet few studies have comprehensively examined its impact on both sleep architecture and respiratory physiology using wearable technology.

    Seasonal Variation in Sleep, Respiratory, and Cardiovascular Parameters Assessed by a Wearable Device · 2026 · DOI

  • Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is under-recognised and under-diagnosed in children.

    Screening for paediatric sleep disordered breathing in the dental setting: a scoping review · 2026 · DOI

  • Estudios adicionales para evaluar la efectividad de los cuestionarios de cribado, - Investigaciones sobre la relación entre la AOS y otros factores de…

    Explorando la prevalencia de los factores de riesgo de la apnea del sueño en mujeres · 2026 · DOI

  • The study had a small sample size of 30 patients, - The study was a retrospective single-arm observational study, - The study lacked a control group, - The follow-up period was limited to 6…

    Clinical Outcomes of Combined Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty and All-Suture Anchor Tongue Base Suspension for Obstructive Sleep Apnea · 2026 · DOI

  • This study relied on ICD-10 coding, - The Nationwide Readmissions Database lacks granular clinical information, - OSA severity could not be assessed, - Undiagnosed OSA remains prevalent in surgical…

    Outcomes after total shoulder arthroplasty in obstructive sleep apnea patients: a retrospective cohort analysis of over 10,000 patients · 2026 · DOI

Most-cited papers in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Research

Most recent work

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Open questions raised by papers listed on this page include: (1) There is a need to evaluate postoperative pain in patients with OSA and systemic comorbidities (“Relationship Between Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Postoperative Pain After…”, 2026); (2) There is a lack of empirical evidence to substantiate the effectiveness and mechanisms of TCM practices (“Traditional Chinese medicine for pediatric adenoidal hypertrophy: effects on…”, 2026); (3) The available evidence on the relationship between OSA and VTE remains limited (“Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Pulmonary Embolism: Prevalence, Severity and the…”, 2026); (4) The lack of adequate reference standard validation and different assessment pathways limited the comparability of results across different devices and algorithms (“Wearable Devices for Monitoring and Management of Comorbid Obstructive Sleep…”, 2026); (5) Circadian and environmental cues such as light exposure, temperature, and humidity may modulate sleep quality, apnea severity, and oxygenation, but large-scale, real-world data remain limited (“Seasonal Variation in Sleep, Respiratory, and Cardiovascular Parameters…”, 2026). 1,107 gap statements have been mined from Obstructive Sleep Apnea Research papers in our 7.9M-paper local library, which holds 5,341 papers on the topic; the gaps come from whichever of those papers state one. They are mostly the research gaps the authors state and the papers' abstracts, plus future-work, limitations and challenges passages. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one, so you can read the original claim in context.

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