Mandibular advancement device versus CPAP in lowering 24-hour blood pressure in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea and hypertension: the CRESCENT trial protocol

IntroductionAlthough treatment of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) using continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) reduces blood pressure (BP), adherence to CPAP is often suboptimal. A mandibular advancement device (MAD) is a guideline-endorsed alternative therapy for OSA. Still, there is limited evidence on the relative efficacy between MAD and CPAP on BP reduction. We evaluate whether treatment of moderate-to-severe OSA using MAD can improve BP and other health-related outcomes compared with CPAP.Methods and analysisThis is a randomised, controlled, non-inferiority trial conducted. We will recruit 220 Asians with a history of hypertension and high cardiovascular risk for an overnight polysomnography screening. Those with moderate-to-severe OSA (apnoea–hypopnoea index ≥15 events/hour) will be randomised to treatment with either MAD or CPAP in a 1:1 ratio. Stratified by age (60 vs 2) and apnoea–hypopnoea index (30 vs Ethics and disseminationThe Domain Specific Review Board-C, National Healthcare Group under approved the study protocol (NHG DSRB Ref: 2019/00359, approved on 28 August 2019). Study findings will be disseminated to various local, national, and international audiences through abstract presentations and publication in peer-reviewed journals.Trial registration numberNCT04119999.