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Urinary Leukotriene E4 Levels in Children with Sleep-Disordered Breathing
Sneh Biyani1, M Jedorah Benson1, Sarah C DeShields2
11 Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia, USA.
Summary
Urinary leukotriene E4 (LTE4) does not correlate with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) severity in children. However, higher LTE4 levels were observed in children with mild sleep-disordered breathing compared to severe OSA.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Sleep Medicine
- Biomarker Research
Background:
- Polysomnography (PSG) has limitations for evaluating pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
- Urinary leukotriene E4 (LTE4) is a potential inflammatory biomarker for pediatric OSA.
- Novel methods are needed to assess OSA severity in children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the correlation between urinary LTE4 levels and OSA severity in children.
- To determine if urinary LTE4 can serve as a biomarker for pediatric OSA, assessed by apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and nadir oxygen saturation.
Main Methods:
- Prospective trial conducted at a tertiary care children's hospital.
- Included children aged 3-16 years with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) referred for PSG.
- Quantified urinary LTE4 levels using enzyme-linked immunoassay kits from samples collected post-PSG.
Main Results:
- 113 children were enrolled; 78% were diagnosed with OSA.
- Urinary LTE4 levels did not correlate with apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) or nadir oxygen saturation.
- A significant difference was found in urinary LTE4 levels between mild SDB and moderate-to-severe OSA groups (P = .03).
Conclusions:
- Urinary LTE4 levels do not correlate with AHI in children with SDB.
- Children with mild SDB exhibited higher urinary LTE4 levels than those with severe OSA.
- Further research is required to establish urinary LTE4 as a reliable biomarker for pediatric OSA.
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