title: Acoustic rhinometry in pediatric sleep apnea.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This prospective study aimed to evaluate the use of acoustic rhinometry (AR) in pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Children with clinically suspected OSA underwent AR measurements followed by attended overnight polysomnography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of a total of 20 subjects (13 boys, seven girls), 15 (75%) had OSA, defined as apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) greater than or equal to five events per hour of sleep, and five had primary snoring (PS). The mean AHI was 16.79 vs. 1.96 events/h. Positional changes in airway measurement by AR were present in the OSA group, with an average decrease in nasal cavity volume from upright to supine position of 1.53 cm(3) (p = 0.027). These changes were predictive of sleep apnea (r (2) = 0.65, p = 0.035).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates a marked difference between OSA and PS groups during AR measurements of the nasopharynx. Positional airway changes had been previously reported in adults with OSA and further evaluation of the airway function in pediatric OSA is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Lexington ENT, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Monica N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Okun
authors.forename: Nicos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hadjiangelis
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: Laura C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Hedli
authors.forename: Kelvin C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ana C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Krieger
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017286:Polysomnography; D011446:Prospective Studies; D023842:Rhinometry, Acoustic / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology