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Pediatric OSA Syndrome Morbidity Biomarkers: The Hunt Is Finally On!
Leila Kheirandish-Gozal1, David Gozal1
1Section of Pediatric Sleep Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Biological Sciences Division, Pritzker School of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL.
Insights
Pediatric obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) carries risks for cognitive and cardiometabolic issues. Researchers are identifying biomarkers to detect these complications early, improving diagnosis and treatment for children with OSAS.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Sleep Medicine
- Biomarker Discovery
- Cardiovascular and Metabolic Health
Background:
- Pediatric obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a recognized clinical entity with significant long-term health risks.
- Despite evidence linking OSAS to cognitive, cardiovascular, and metabolic morbidities, these are often undiagnosed in clinical practice.
- Current diagnostic methods for OSAS-related morbidities are labor-intensive and costly, hindering routine assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current evidence for morbidity-related biomarkers in children with OSAS.
- To explore the potential of biomarkers for early detection of cognitive and cardiometabolic consequences of pediatric OSAS.
- To identify future opportunities in biomarker research for pediatric OSAS.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of existing studies on biomarkers for pediatric OSAS and its associated morbidities.
- Analysis of current evidence regarding the utility and limitations of identified biomarkers.
- Exploration of emerging trends and future research directions in the field.
Main Results:
- Evidence supports the presence of various biomarkers associated with cognitive impairment in pediatric OSAS.
- Biomarkers for cardiovascular and metabolic complications in children with OSAS are increasingly being identified.
- Significant progress has been made in developing potential biomarker signatures, though clinical validation is ongoing.
Conclusions:
- Biomarkers offer a promising avenue to overcome the diagnostic challenges of OSAS-related morbidities in children.
- Further research and validation are crucial for the clinical implementation of these biomarkers.
- Biomarker discovery can lead to earlier detection and more effective management of pediatric OSAS complications.
Abstract:
Since initial reports 40 years ago on pediatric OSA syndrome (OSAS) as a distinct and prevalent clinical entity, substantial advances have occurred in the delineation of diagnostic and treatment approaches. However, despite emerging and compelling evidence that OSAS increases the risk for cognitive, cardiovascular, and metabolic end-organ morbidities, routine assessment of such morbidities is seldom conducted in clinical practice. One of the major reasons for such discrepancies resides in the relatively labor-intensive and onerous steps that would be required to detect the presence of any of such morbidities, further adding to the already elevated cost of diagnosing the disorder. To circumvent these obstacles, the search for biomarker signatures of pediatric OSA and its cognitive and cardiometabolic consequences was launched, and considerable progress has occurred since then. Here, we review the current evidence for the presence of morbidity-related biomarkers among children with OSAS, and explore future opportunities in this promising arena.
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