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Nocturnal change of circulating intercellular adhesion molecule 1 levels in children with snoring

Athanasios G Kaditis1, Emmanouel I Alexopoulos, Efthimia Kalampouka

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, University of Thessaly School of Medicine, Larissa, Greece. KADITIA@hotmail.com

Sleep & Breathing = Schlaf & Atmung
|June 21, 2007
PubMed

Insights

In children who snore, overnight changes in circulating intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (cICAM-1) levels do not correlate with the severity of obstructive sleep-disordered breathing. This finding suggests cICAM-1 is not a reliable biomarker for sleep apnea severity in this age group.

Area of Science:

  • Sleep Medicine
  • Cardiovascular Physiology
  • Pediatric Pulmonology

Background:

  • Hypoxia, a common feature of sleep apnea, can increase leukocyte-endothelial cell adhesion via adhesion molecules like ICAM-1.
  • Elevated circulating ICAM-1 (cICAM-1) levels are observed in adults with sleep apnea and hypoxemia.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between overnight changes in cICAM-1 levels and the severity of obstructive sleep-disordered breathing (OSDB) in children who snore.
  • To determine if cICAM-1 is a potential biomarker for OSDB severity in pediatric populations.

Main Methods:

  • Serum cICAM-1 levels were measured in the evening and morning in children referred for polysomnography.
  • Children were categorized into three groups based on their apnea-hypopnea index (AHI): AHI ≥ 5, 1 < AHI < 5, and AHI ≤ 1.
  • Overnight changes in cICAM-1 were analyzed using log-transformed ratios and multiple regression analysis.

Main Results:

  • No significant difference was found in the overnight change of cICAM-1 levels across the different severity groups of OSDB.
  • Apnea-hypopnea index, respiratory arousal index, and oxygen saturation nadir did not predict overnight changes in cICAM-1.
  • The study found no correlation between the severity of OSDB and the overnight change in cICAM-1 levels in snoring children.

Conclusions:

  • Overnight changes in circulating ICAM-1 levels are not associated with the severity of obstructive sleep-disordered breathing in children who snore.
  • cICAM-1 may not serve as a useful biomarker for assessing OSDB severity in pediatric patients.
  • Further research is needed to explore other potential biomarkers related to sleep-disordered breathing in children.

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