OSAS in children: clinical and polysomnographic respiratory profile.
Obstructive sleep apnea and hypopnea syndrome in children (osas) has an estimated prevalence of up to 3% and can be associated with neurocognitive and behavioural abnormalities, and also cardiovascular complications. This study may help pediatricians, who are unaware of the problem, to recognize osas.


METHODS
series of cases.


OBJECTIVE
to describe the clinical characteristics and polysomnographic respiratory findings in a population of children with obstructive sleep apnea and hypopnea syndrome referred to the sleep laboratory from january 2002 up to july 2003.


METHODS
we studied 93 patients between 2 and 10 years of age with polysomnographic diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea and hypopnea syndrome. Age, gender, racial group and questions about the childrens health and sleep related disorders were evaluated. Apnea-hypopnea index, oxyhemoglobin desaturation, and arousal index were evaluated too.


RESULTS
males represented 61.3%, With a mean age of 5.2+/-2.1 (Years-old). The complaints that most commonly lead to the exams were snoring in 24.7% And restless sleep in 24.7%. Associated medical conditions frequently reported were allergic rhinitis (98.9%) And adenoid hypertrophy (50.6%). Mild apnea was found in 66%. The mean and sd of spo2 nadir was 89.1+/-3.5% And the mean and sd of the number of arousals was 8.4+/-3.5/Hour of sleep.


CONCLUSIONS
the results suggest the possibility that obstructive sleep apnea and hypopnea syndrome should be suspected in children with allergic diseases and adenoid and tonsil hypertrophy with snoring and restless sleep complaints.
Ramos
Regina Terse Trindade
RT
Universidade Federal da Bahia, Bahia School of Medicine and Public Health, and Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Hospital Português, Brazil.
da Cunha Daltro
Carla Hilário
CH
Gregório
Paloma Baiardi
PB
de Freitas Souza
Leda Solano
LS
de Andrade
Nilvano Alves
NA
de Souza Andrade Filho
Antônio
A
de Souza Machado Júnior
Almerio
A
D000234:Adenoids / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006984:Hypertrophy / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000473:pathology; D017286:Polysomnography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012913:Snoring / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires