Upper airway resistance syndrome: sick, symptomatic but underrecognized

Upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS) appears to be underrecognized or at least underreported in the medical literature. We have found that these children may suffer the same, if not more, severe consequences of sleep disordered breathing than obstructive sleep apnea patients. Seventy-five infants and children were age and gender matched from a heterogeneous patient population in Southern California. Each patient underwent clinical polysomnography. Twenty-five patients were in each of three groups. Group one patients were clinician referred to the sleep clinic and were found to be free of significant sleep pathology. Group two patients had UARS. Group three patients had frank obstructive sleep apnea. The three groups differed on respiratory, sleep and snoring parameters. A heuristic is presented to help clinicians tailor their treatment approach and sleep scientists to test the model to aid in the understanding of UARS.