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Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in mouth breathing children

Suemy Cioffi Izu1, Caroline Harumi Itamoto, Márcia Pradella-Hallinan

  • 1Federal University of São Paulo - Medical School.

Brazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology
|October 22, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Mouth breathing in children frequently leads to obstructive sleep apnea (OSAS) and primary snoring. Adenotonsillar hypertrophy is the most common cause, often accompanied by rhinitis.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Otolaryngology
  • Sleep Medicine
  • Respiratory Medicine

Background:

  • Mouth breathing is a known risk factor for adenotonsillar hypertrophy, a primary cause of obstructive sleep apnea (OSAS) in children.
  • Limited research exists on the direct correlation between OSAS and mouth breathing in pediatric populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of obstructive sleep disorders in children who are mouth breathers.
  • To investigate the association between mouth breathing, OSAS, and specific otorhinolaryngological findings.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective cohort study analyzing 248 medical charts of mouth breathing children (2000-2006).
  • Evaluations included nasofibroscopy, Cavum radiographs, and polysomnography to classify patients.
  • Patients were categorized as primary snorers (Apnea Index < 1) or OSAS (Apnea Index > 1).

Main Results:

  • Out of 248 patients, 42% were diagnosed with OSAS and 58% with primary snoring.
  • The most common findings were adenotonsillar hypertrophy (61.2%), rhinitis (62.5%), and adenoid hypertrophy (14.9%).
  • Adenotonsillar hypertrophy was the leading cause in children with OSAS.

Conclusions:

  • Primary snoring and OSAS are common in children who breathe through their mouths.
  • Adenotonsillar hypertrophy, with or without rhinitis, is the most frequent otorhinolaryngological disorder associated with OSAS in this cohort.
Abstract

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