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Snoring toddlers with and without obstructive sleep apnoea differed with regard to snoring time, adenoid size and
Saara Markkanen1,2, Markus Rautiainen1,2, Sari-Leena Himanen2,3
1Department of Ear and Oral Diseases, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
Insights
Identifying obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) in snoring toddlers is challenging. Longer snoring time, mouth breathing, and larger adenoids are key indicators of OSA in young children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Sleep Medicine
- Respiratory Medicine
- Otolaryngology
Background:
- Assessing obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) in children who snore is difficult without polysomnography.
- Early identification of OSA in toddlers is crucial for timely intervention and management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify characteristic features of OSA in two-year-old children who snore.
- To evaluate the utility of these features in assessing OSA likelihood.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal birth cohort study (Child-Sleep Project) in Finland (2013-2015).
- Included 52 children (mean age 27 months) who snored.
- Utilized parental questionnaires, polysomnography, and clinical examinations.
Main Results:
- Children with OSA exhibited significantly longer snoring duration (P=.003).
- Increased mouth breathing tendency (P=.007) and larger adenoid size (P=.008) were associated with OSA.
- These findings were statistically significant in differentiating OSA from non-OSA snorers.
Conclusions:
- Snoring time, adenoid size, and mouth breathing are key indicators for OSA likelihood in toddlers.
- These clinical features can aid in assessing OSA risk in young children.
- Further research can refine diagnostic tools for pediatric OSA.
Aim:
The difficulty of assessing the likelihood of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) in children who snore without full-night polysomnography is widely recognised. Our aim was to identify features that were characteristic of two-year-old children with OSA and evaluate whether this information could be used to assess the likelihood of OSA.
Methods:
The study was carried out as part of the Child-Sleep Project, a longitudinal birth cohort study of children born at Tampere University Hospital, Finland. This part of the study focused on the children in the cohort who snored and was carried out between 2013 and 2015. The primary outcomes were measured using parental questionnaires, polysomnography and clinical examinations.
Results:
In total, 52 children participated at a mean age of 27 months (range 23-34). Of these, 32 (44% male) snorers and 20 (70% male) controls. The most significant findings were that children who had OSA demonstrated longer snoring time (P = .003), a greater tendency for mouth breathing (P = .007) and bigger adenoid size (P = .008) than snorers without OSA.
Conclusion:
Snoring time, adenoid tissue size and mouth breathing were important features that identified the likelihood of OSA in snoring toddlers.
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