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Published on: December 6, 2016
Analysis of possible risk factors for the severity of paediatric obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome
Lea Dékány1, Viktória Molnár2, András Molnár1
1Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
Insights
Higher body mass index (BMI) percentile and age are linked to increased obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) severity in children. However, these factors have limited clinical use for predicting severe OSA.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Sleep Medicine
- Respiratory Health
- Obesity and Health
Background:
- Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a common respiratory disorder in children.
- Factors influencing OSA severity require further investigation for effective management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the impact of body mass index (BMI) percentile, asthma, sex, and age on paediatric obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) severity.
- To evaluate the predictive value of BMI percentile and age for severe OSA in children.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 921 children (aged 2-18 years) diagnosed with OSA via polysomnography.
- Statistical analyses included ANCOVA, Spearman's correlation, and Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curves.
Main Results:
- A higher BMI percentile was significantly associated with increased OSA severity (p<0.001).
- Age also showed a significant relationship with OSA severity (p=0.01).
- Neither asthma nor sex demonstrated a significant association with OSA severity.
Conclusions:
- BMI percentile and age are significant determinants of OSA severity in children.
- While predictive, BMI percentile and age have limited clinical utility for identifying severe OSA.
- Obesity is a key risk factor for OSA, particularly in younger children, with older, overweight, and obese children facing a higher risk of severe OSA.
Purpose:
This study aimed to determine the effect of body mass index (BMI) percentile, asthma, sex, and age on the paediatric obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) severity. Furthermore, to determine the possible predictive role of the BMI percentile and age in severe OSA.
Methods:
This retrospective study included 921 children aged 2-18 years diagnosed with OSA by polysomnography. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA), Spearman's correlation, Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) analyses were performed and area under the curve (AUC) was determined.
Results:
We observed a significant association between a higher BMI percentile and the severity of OSA (p < 0.001, ρ = 0.15). The correlation also was significant under (p = 0.007, ρ = 0.11) and over 7 (p = 0.0002, ρ = 0.23) years of age. There was no association between the severity of OSA and the presence of asthma (p = 0.9) or sex (p = 0.891), respectively. Age was significantly related to OSA severity (p = 0.01, ρ = 0.08). Although both the BMI percentile (0.59 AUC [0.54-0.65]) and age (0.58 AUC [0.52-0.63]) predicted severe OSA, according to the sensitivity and specificity values of the ROC curve, the association presents a slight clinical relevance.
Conclusions:
OSA severity is determined by the BMI percentile and age in children; however, these factors are unsuitable for predicting severe OSA in clinical practice. Based on our results, obesity is also a significant risk factor for OSA in younger children. Our study highlights that older, overweight, and obese children have a higher risk for severe OSA.
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