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Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Developmental Age: 22-Item Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire for an Observational Descriptive
Francesca Cremonini1, Ludovica Zucchini1, Federica Pellitteri1
1Postgraduate School of Orthodontics, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.
Insights
Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) affects 18.51% of children aged 3-12 years. Male sex and younger age (3-8 years) are significant risk factors for pediatric OSAS, identified using the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Sleep Medicine
- Epidemiology
- Child Health
Background:
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) is a prevalent condition in children.
- Early identification and screening are crucial for managing pediatric OSAS.
- Understanding demographic risk factors like age and sex is essential for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of OSAS in children aged 3-12 years.
- To evaluate the association of sex and age with OSAS diagnosis.
- To assess the utility of the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ) as a screening tool.
Main Methods:
- An observational, descriptive study was conducted.
- The 22-item Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ) was administered to parents of 832 children (aged 3-12).
- A PSQ score cutoff of 0.33 was used to indicate potential OSAS; Chi-square tests analyzed associations.
Main Results:
- The prevalence of potential OSAS was 18.51% (154 out of 832 children).
- A statistically significant association was found between higher PSQ scores and male sex.
- Children aged 3-5 years showed the highest prevalence of potential OSAS, followed by the 6-8 year age group (p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
- The Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire is an effective initial screening tool for identifying children at risk of OSAS.
- Male sex and age group 3-8 years are significant factors associated with OSAS diagnosis in children.
- The study highlights the importance of age and sex in the prevalence of pediatric OSAS.
Abstract:
The aim of this paper is to perform an observational descriptive study of the Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) in a population of children by evaluating the prevalence and role of sex and age variables. The 22-item Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ) was administered to parents of children aged 3 to 12 years. The questionnaire is a very simple tool since it allows for the indication of patients with possible OSAS diagnosis through a cut-off of 0.33. The anonymous diagnostic questionnaire, available in digital format, was administered to the population under study by a link or QR code. Only the questionnaires completed in all their parts were recorded and analyzed. Eight hundred and thirty-two questionnaires were collected. One hundred and fifty-four subjects obtained a PSQ score > 0.33 and the prevalence of OSAS was 18.51%. The Chi-square test showed a statistically significant association between the PSQ score > 0.33 and male sex. The higher prevalence of subjects with a value of PSQ > 0.33 (n = 277) are aged 3-4-5 years, followed by the 6-7-8 range in the group with PSQ score > 0.33, p < 0.05. The prevalence of OSAS was 18.51% in children aged 3 to 12 years. The variables male biological sex and the age group 3-8 year were statistically significant for subjects with OSAS diagnosis. This study underlines the use of the 22-item Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire as a first screening tool to identify children at risk of OSAS.
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