[Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in children as a risk of cardiovascular pathology development]

Our aim was to examine the predictors of cardiovascular disorders in children affected by obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) based on the results of polysomnography and continuous monitoring of blood glycose.

Before the examination, parents filled in questionnaires concerning their children sleep quality. The procedure was followed by the study of the sleep by means of polysomnography (Embla s 7000, USA). A system of continuous monitoring of blood glucose was applied (Guardianreal-time, Medtronicminimed, USA) by means of which a glycemic profile tissue fluid was studied.

A night sleep research of 120 children aged 3-16 y.o. is presented. There were 4 groups depending on the pathology: diseases of the nervous system (n = 31), ENT-pathology (n = 18), bronchial asthma (n = 24) and overweight and obesity (n = 34). The comparison group consisted of 13 apparently healthy children. The study has shown that the parents of every second child with sleep disorders did not know about the fact. The 60 % of the patients with high body mass index (BMI) had a snore, which was significantly higher the in children with normal body mass index--35% (p = 0.012). The index of apnea-hypopnea (AHI) was higher in the patients with ENT-pathology 17 times (p < 0.001) and the patients with obesity 7 times (p < 0.001) in comparison to the comparison group. In the analysis of the overall sample (n = 120) was obtained significant negative correlation with heart rate variability and heart rate (r = 0.405; p < 0.001). It is also shown that among 14 investigated children with OSAS only 8 had episodes of hypoglycemia (less than 3.3 mmol/l) during night sleep. All of them were with a high body mass index and with above average stature (>1sd).

Children with ENT-pathology and with high high body mass index have high risk of cardio-vascular diseases. Children with above average stature and with increased body mass index affected by OSAS have additional backgrounds for cardiovascular diseases develop- ment as a result of the latent periods of hypoglycemia at night.