Obstructive sleep apnoea in children with obesity

• Published in: Journal of paediatrics and child health 2016-03, Vol.52 (3), p.284-290
• Main Authors: Kassim, Rubina, Harris, Margaret-Anne, Leong, Gary M, Heussler, Helen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Age Distribution; Body Mass Index; Child; Child, Preschool; Cohort Studies; Comorbidity; Ethnicity; Female; Humans; hypoventilation; Incidence; Low density lipoprotein; Male; Obesity; Pediatric Obesity - diagnosis; Pediatric Obesity - epidemiology; Pediatrics; Polysomnography; Queensland - epidemiology; Referral and Consultation - statistics & numerical data; Retrospective Studies; Risk Assessment; Risk factors; Sex Distribution; Sleep apnea; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive - diagnosis; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive - epidemiology; sleep apnoea; snoring; Statistics, Nonparametric
• ISSN: 1034-4810; 1440-1754
• DOI: 10.1111/jpc.13009

Aims The aim of this study was to identify factors that predict risk of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) in obese children, which could aid in prioritising sleep studies. Methods A retrospective chart review was undertaken of obese children seen in the KOALA weight management clinic and Sleep clinic. Data collected included demographics, clinical history, examination findings, biochemical markers, and polysomnogram results. Results Two hundred seventy‐two obese children were seen in the KOALA clinic out of which 54 (20%) were also seen in the Sleep clinic because of snoring. Thirty‐two were referred by the KOALA clinic; the remaining 22 were referred by other medical practitioners prior to being seen in the KOALA clinic. Thirty‐nine had polysomnograms. The time from referral to Sleep clinic ranged from 10 days to 1.5 years with 50% seen within 6 months; with similar time gap between the blood tests and time of polysomnograms. Thirty‐six percent (14/39) were reported to have OSA. Six children were Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) and all had OSA, which was statistically significant (P = 0.004). There was a statistically significant correlation between high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hs‐CRP) and obstructive event index (OEI) in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. (r = 0.50, P = 0.04). Correlation between low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) and OEI in REM was r = 0.36, P = 0.06, which approached significance. Conclusions Ethnicity was a significant factor with more obese ATSI children having OSA. The significant correlation between hs‐CRP with OEI is consistent with findings of previous studies. Several factors (glycosylated haemoglobin, LDL) approached significance.