Prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea in children and adolescents with sickle cell anemia.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in children and adolescents with sickle cell anemia (SCA); to investigate the possible correlation between mean annual hemoglobin level and total sleep time with SpO2 < 90%, as well as between mean annual hemoglobin level and total sleep time with SpO2 < 80%; and to investigate the possible correlation between apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and painful crisis.


METHODS
The study involved 85 patients with SCA. The patients completed a questionnaire, were submitted to polysomnography and underwent clinical evaluation (by a pediatrician and an otolaryngologist). An AHI > 1 was considered indicative of a diagnosis of OSAS.


RESULTS
The prevalence of OSAS was 10.6%. We found a negative correlation between mean annual hemoglobin level and total sleep time with SpO2 < 90% (r = micro0.343; p = 0.002), as well as between mean annual hemoglobin level and total sleep time with SpO2 < 80% (r = micro0.270; p = 0.016). There was no association between AHI and painful crisis.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of OSAS in this population was high (10.6%). Therefore, it is important to identify signs of OSAS as soon as possible and to determine the mean annual hemoglobin level because of the inverse correlation between that level and the total sleep time with SpO2 < 90% or < 80%.
Salles
Cristina
C
Bahia Hospital Medical Center, Salvador, Brazil. cristinasalles@click21.com.br
Ramos
Regina Terse Trindade
RT
Daltro
Carla
C
Barral
Andréa
A
Marinho
Jamocyr Moura
JM
Matos
Marcos Almeida
MA
D000293:Adolescent; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
D006454:Hemoglobins