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Obstructive sleep apnea and primary snoring in children with epilepsy
Sejal V Jain1, Paul S Horn, Narong Simakajornboon
1Division of Neurology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA. Sejal.Jain@cchmc.org
Journal of Child Neurology
|May 15, 2012
Summary
Children with epilepsy experiencing sleep disturbances are at high risk for obstructive sleep apnea, particularly those with uncontrolled seizures. Polytherapy use in these children may worsen sleep apnea severity, necessitating routine screening.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Sleep Medicine
- Epileptology
Background:
- Sleep-related breathing disruptions are frequent in children with epilepsy.
- Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in this population can cause significant health issues if left untreated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine factors linked to the presence and severity of obstructive sleep apnea in children with epilepsy.
- To compare characteristics of children with epilepsy and OSA versus those with primary snoring.
Main Methods:
- Polysomnography was used to evaluate children with epilepsy and sleep disruption.
- Diagnosis differentiated between obstructive sleep apnea and primary snoring.
- Statistical analyses identified differences between groups and within the OSA group.
Main Results:
- Uncontrolled epilepsy was a significant risk factor for obstructive sleep apnea (80% vs. 47% in primary snoring, P = .02).
- The severity of obstructive sleep apnea, measured by the obstructive index, correlated positively with the number of antiepileptic drugs used.
- Polytherapy was associated with more severe obstructive sleep apnea.
Conclusions:
- Obstructive sleep apnea in children with epilepsy and sleep disturbances is strongly associated with uncontrolled seizures.
- The use of multiple antiepileptic drugs (polytherapy) is linked to increased obstructive sleep apnea severity.
- Routine screening for obstructive sleep apnea is recommended for children with epilepsy experiencing uncontrolled seizures, especially those on polytherapy.
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