Expanding UK-wide Sleep Centres by 32Co to Address Escalating Sleep Disorder Predicament
In a groundbreaking move, London-based healthtech company 32Co is set to launch a nationwide network of sleep centres, named 'Aerox Sleep Centres', this summer. These centres aim to treat patients with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and problematic snoring, marking a significant expansion into 32Co's second healthcare vertical.
Mandibular Advancement Devices (MADs), a non-invasive, retainer device used to keep airways open during sleep, will be at the heart of these sleep centres. MADs have been widely recognised in the UK as an effective treatment for both snoring and mild to moderate OSA. These oral appliances work by gently advancing the lower jaw (mandible) forward during sleep, preventing the collapse of soft tissue around the throat and reducing snoring and apnea episodes.
Key benefits of MADs include improved airway patency, high success rates, non-invasiveness, comfort, an alternative to CPAP machines, improved sleep quality, cost-effectiveness, and accessibility. These devices are available via dental sleep specialists across the UK, with ongoing monitoring and possible post-treatment sleep testing to verify outcomes.
However, MADs are most effective for mild to moderate cases, and severe sleep apnea may require alternative or adjunctive therapies. Some individuals may not respond fully or may experience initial discomfort. Professional assessment is essential to determine suitability.
The first pilot centres will be in London, Manchester, Edinburgh, and Bristol, with new centres to launch nationwide and a national waitlist now open for patients in other regions. The industry standard treatment for sleep apnoea involves wearing a mask connected to a machine delivering a continuous flow of pressurised air, which many patients find uncomfortable, claustrophobic, and difficult to travel with.
32Co is upskilling dentists in OSA treatment, giving them access to medical specialists for virtual collaboration and creating a market for MADs. This initiative aims to address the gap that currently sees only less than 0.5% of dentists offering MAD treatment.
Pre-pilot trials of the Aerox Sleep Centres and MADs have helped hundreds of patients improve their sleep, with 80% of the patients expressing disappointment at the prospect of not being able to use their sleep devices. John, 69, from Manchester, stated that he would be back sleeping downstairs with the dog if his sleep device broke.
MADs achieve similar improvements in excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and quality of life (QoL) as industry-standard Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machines, but with 25% higher adherence for MADs. Snoring is linked to depression, memory loss, diabetes, fatigue-related accidents, and a cultural shift known as 'sleep divorces'.
Snoring is a common issue, with over a quarter of the UK population either snoring or problematically snoring, potentially leading to chronic sleep disruption. Furthermore, around 8 million people aged 30-69 years might be affected by OSA in the UK alone, and OSA is linked with serious medical conditions such as hypertension, heart failure, coronary artery disease, pulmonary hypertension, atrial fibrillation, and stroke.
Professor Ama Johal, a world-renowned Dental Sleep Medicine expert, serves as Clinical Lead at 32Co. The first sleep centres will provide a significant improvement in access to MADs, a simple, dental-based alternative to the traditional CPAP machine. Helen, 64, from London, believes that many people would benefit from MADs because they are unobtrusive. Michael, 58, from London, stated that he doesn't wake up as tired as he normally does due to using the sleep device.
References:
[1] National Sleep Foundation [2] Sleep Apnea Guide [3] British Sleep Society [4] NHS Inform [5] Sleep Apnea UK
- In addition to the traditional CPAP machines, 32Co's Aerox Sleep Centres will offer Medical Plastics' Mandibular Advancement Devices (MADs) as a minimally invasive treatment option for patients with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and snoring issues.
- Digital health initiatives, such as 32Co's upskilling of dentists in OSA treatment and collaboration with virtual medical specialists, aim to increase the availability of MADs, addressing the current gap in the market that only has less than 0.5% of dentists offering MAD treatment.
- The implementation of a scanner network as part of the Aerox Sleep Centres will enable ongoing monitoring of patients using MADs, and post-treatment sleep testing to verify outcomes, aligning with the science-based approach advocated by the sleep health-and-wellness community.
- As part of the fitness-and-exercise and mental-health focus, addressing sleep disorders, such as OSA, could significantly improve overall health and well-being, reducing risks associated with conditions like depression, memory loss, diabetes, fatigue-related accidents, and 'sleep divorces'.
