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Acupoint Application Combined with Ear Plaster Therapy for Treating Sleep Disorders with Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
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Acupoint Application Combined with Ear Plaster Therapy for Treating Sleep Disorders with Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Published on: October 18, 2024

Morning levels of C-reactive protein in children with obstructive sleep-disordered breathing

Athanasios G Kaditis1, Emmanouel I Alexopoulos, Efthimia Kalampouka

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, University of Thessaly School of Medicine and Larissa University Hospital, , P.O. Box 1425, Larissa 41110, Greece. kaditia@hotmail.com

American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
|November 24, 2004
PubMed

Insights

This study found no significant difference in C-reactive protein (CRP) levels between children with and without sleep-disordered breathing. Elevated CRP, a marker of inflammation, was not linked to snoring severity or sleep apnea indices in pediatric subjects.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Sleep Medicine
  • Cardiovascular Health
  • Inflammation Markers

Background:

  • Obstructive sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in adults is linked to cardiovascular disease.
  • Elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) is a proposed inflammatory link between SDB and cardiovascular issues in adults.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if children with SDB exhibit higher CRP levels compared to healthy controls.
  • To determine the correlation between CRP levels and SDB severity in children.

Main Methods:

  • Measured CRP in 39 non-snorers (controls) and 102 habitual snorers undergoing polysomnography.
  • Categorized snorers based on apnea-hypopnea index (AHI): <1, 1-4.9, and ≥5 episodes/hour.
  • Analyzed CRP correlation with AHI, respiratory movement/arousal index, SaO2 nadir, and oxygen desaturation.

Main Results:

  • No significant differences in mean CRP values were found between control subjects and any group of snorers based on AHI.
  • CRP levels did not correlate with AHI, arousal index, SaO2 nadir, or percentage of sleep time with saturation <95%.
  • The proposed link between elevated CRP and SDB observed in adults was not replicated in this pediatric cohort.

Conclusions:

  • Pediatric sleep-disordered breathing, even with habitual snoring, is not associated with elevated C-reactive protein levels.
  • The inflammatory pathway suggested by CRP in adult SDB and cardiovascular disease does not appear to extend to children.
  • Further research may be needed to explore other inflammatory markers or pathways in pediatric SDB.

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