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Published on: December 6, 2016
[Obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome in children: beyond adenotonsillar hypertrophy]
1Servicio de Otorrinolaringología, Hospital General de Catalunya, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona, España.
Insights
Obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome in children has causes beyond enlarged tonsils. This review details other prevalent factors, their interactions, and management strategies for better care.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Sleep Medicine
- Otolaryngology
Background:
- Obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) affects 1-2% of children.
- Adenotonsillar hypertrophy is the most common cause, but not the only one.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review causes of pediatric OSAHS beyond adenotonsillar hypertrophy.
- To organize prevalence, etiology, interactions, and management of these conditions.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive literature review.
- Systematic organization of findings on OSAHS causes in children.
Main Results:
- Identified multiple prevalent causes of pediatric OSAHS, including muscular hypotonia, dentofacial abnormalities, airway soft tissue hypertrophy, and neurological disorders.
- Detailed the multifactorial nature and interactions of these conditions.
Conclusions:
- Effective management of pediatric OSAHS requires understanding diverse etiologies.
- Interdisciplinary collaboration is crucial for comprehensive care of children with OSAHS.
Abstract:
The prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome in the general childhood population is 1-2% and the most common cause is adenotonsillar hypertrophy. However, beyond adenotonsillar hypertrophy, there are other highly prevalent causes of this syndrome in children. The causes are often multifactorial and include muscular hypotonia, dentofacial abnormalities, soft tissue hypertrophy of the airway, and neurological disorders). Collaboration between different specialties involved in the care of these children is essential, given the wide variability of conditions and how frequently different factors are involved in their genesis, as well as the different treatments to be applied. We carried out a wide literature review of other causes of obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome in children, beyond adenotonsillar hypertrophy. We organised the prevalence of this syndrome in each pathology and the reasons that cause it, as well as their interactions and management, in a consistent manner.
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