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Sleep-Disordered Breathing in Children with Recurrent Wheeze/Asthma: A Single Centre Study

Marco Zaffanello1, Emma Gasperi2, Laura Tenero3

  • 1Department of Surgery, Dentistry, Paediatrics and Gynaecology, Pediatric Division, University of Verona, Piazzale L.A. Scuro, 10, 37134 Verona, Italy. marco.zaffanello@univr.it.

Children (Basel, Switzerland)
|November 15, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Children with recurrent wheeze/asthma experience more central sleep apneas, indicating potential breathing control issues. This suggests a link between asthma and central nervous system inflammation affecting sleep.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Sleep Medicine
  • Respiratory Physiology

Background:

  • The relationship between asthma and sleep-disordered breathing is bidirectional, influenced by shared risk factors promoting airway inflammation.
  • Recurrent wheeze/asthma and obstructive sleep-disordered breathing involve the lower and upper respiratory systems, respectively.
  • Investigating sleep-disordered breathing in children with recurrent wheeze/asthma is crucial for understanding this complex interplay.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the prevalence and characteristics of sleep-disordered breathing in children diagnosed with recurrent wheeze/asthma.
  • To compare sleep parameters between children with and without recurrent wheeze/asthma.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective study of 137 children over 2 years old who underwent in-laboratory overnight polygraphy.
  • Children were categorized based on the presence or absence of recurrent wheeze/asthma.
  • Logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors of wheeze/asthma, including demographic and polysomnographic data.

Main Results:

  • Children with recurrent wheeze/asthma (N=28) were younger and leaner compared to unaffected children (N=98).
  • No significant differences were found in obstructive apnea-hypopnea index or oxygen desaturation index between groups.
  • Logistic regression revealed a significantly higher central apnea index in children with wheeze/asthma (Exp(B)=2.212, p=0.009).

Conclusions:

  • Children with recurrent wheeze/asthma exhibit an increased number of central sleep apneas compared to their unaffected peers.
  • This finding suggests a potential dysfunction in central nervous system breathing control during sleep in these children.
  • Systemic or central inflammation may underlie the observed link between recurrent wheeze/asthma and central sleep apneas.

Keywords:
asthmacentral breathing controlcentral sleep apneachildrenin-laboratory overnight respiratory polygraphobstructive sleep apnearetrospective studysleep-disordered breathing

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