Effects of race on upper airway dynamic function during sleep in children

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Swaroop Pinto1, Jingtao Huang, Ignacio Tapia

  • 1The Sleep Center and the 2Clinical and Translational Research Center, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.

Sleep
|April 5, 2011
PubMed

Insights

African American children have a higher risk of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). This study found similar upper airway collapsibility in healthy African American and Caucasian children, suggesting other factors contribute to OSAS risk.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Sleep Medicine
  • Respiratory Physiology
  • Racial Disparities in Health

Background:

  • Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is more prevalent in African American children.
  • Previous studies suggest race is a risk factor for OSAS.
  • The underlying reasons for this disparity are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate upper airway collapsibility during sleep in healthy African American and Caucasian children.
  • To test the hypothesis that African American children have more collapsible airways.
  • To identify potential physiological explanations for racial differences in OSAS prevalence.

Main Methods:

  • Dynamic upper airway function was assessed during NREM sleep in 56 healthy children (ages 8-18).
  • Pressure-flow relationships were measured under activated and hypotonic conditions.
  • Critical pressure (Pcrit) and slope of pressure-flow response (SPF) were analyzed.

Main Results:

  • No significant differences were found in critical pressure (Pcrit) between African American and Caucasian children.
  • No significant differences were observed in the slope of pressure-flow response (SPF) between the two groups.
  • Upper airway collapsibility was similar in both racial groups under tested conditions.

Conclusions:

  • Upper airway collapsibility is comparable in asymptomatic, non-obese African American and Caucasian children.
  • Differences in upper airway characteristics do not explain the higher OSAS prevalence in African American children.
  • Further research is needed to explore other factors contributing to OSAS disparities.
Abstract

Keywords:
African AmericanCaucasianPcritchildrenobstructive sleep apnea

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