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Right Ventricular Function and Pulmonary Arterial Coupling in Paediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Yumi Yuk-Ting Chan1, Samuel Chung-Sum Ho2, Chun-Ting Au3
1Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Echocardiography (Mount Kisco, N.Y.)
|August 12, 2026
Summary
Children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) maintain healthy right ventricular (RV) function and RV-pulmonary artery (PA) coupling long-term, regardless of adenotonsillectomy. This finding suggests preserved cardiovascular health in young adults with childhood OSA.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Sleep Medicine
- Pulmonary Hypertension
Background:
- Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in children can lead to right ventricular (RV) dysfunction and elevated pulmonary arterial (PA) pressure.
- Long-term data on RV-PA coupling in pediatric OSA patients, particularly concerning the impact of adenotonsillectomy, is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate long-term right ventricular (RV) function and RV-pulmonary artery (PA) coupling in children diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
- To assess the influence of adenotonsillectomy on RV-PA coupling in pediatric OSA patients over time.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study of children aged 5-12 years with moderate-to-severe OSA and tonsillar hypertrophy.
- Echocardiographic assessment and sleep studies were conducted at baseline and >5 years post-recruitment.
- RV-PA coupling evaluated using tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE)/indexed pulmonary artery acceleration time (PAATi) and RV global longitudinal strain (GLS)/PAATi.
Main Results:
- 160 subjects (38 OSA no surgery, 80 OSA post-surgery, 42 controls) were followed for a mean of 7.2 years.
- No significant differences in RV function or RV-PA coupling indices (TAPSE/PAATi, RVGLS/PAATi) were observed among the three groups at follow-up.
- Neither follow-up duration nor OSA severity correlated with RV function or RV-PA coupling in the OSA cohort.
Conclusions:
- Right ventricular (RV) function and RV-pulmonary artery (PA) coupling are preserved in adolescents and young adults with a history of childhood obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
- Adenotonsillectomy status does not significantly impact long-term RV-PA coupling in pediatric OSA patients.
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