title: Urinary leukotriene E4, obesity, and adenotonsillar hypertrophy in Chinese children with sleep disordered breathing.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sleep disordered breathing (SDB) has been associated with increased inflammatory responses. Changes in the level of pro-inflammatory leukotrienes (LTs) may initiate or exacerbate pediatric SDB and may play a major role in end-organ morbidity. The objective of the study was to investigate the relationship of LT productions with severity of SDB, obesity, and adenotonsillar hypertrophy in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, observational study that included standard questionnaires, physical examinations, overnight polysomnography (PSG), and urinary leukotriene E(4) (LTE(4)) assay.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sleep Center and Laboratory of Nutriology.
  
  
  METHODS
  282 children with SDB and 94 healthy control subjects were recruited.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Urinary LTE(4) levels were elevated in children with SDB compared to the controls, and LTE(4) productions emerged disease severity- and obesity-dependent increases. In stepwise multiple regression analysis, the independent predictors of the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) included LTE(4) level and adenotonsillar-size sum score (P < 0.001 respectively; adjusted R(2)=0.318). A positive relationship between LTE(4) urinary level and adenotonsillar-size sum scores was present in the underweight/normal weight SDB subjects (r=0.276; P < 0.001), but not in the overweight/obese children (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Systemic inflammation mediated by LTs participates in the pathophysiological mechanisms of SDB in children. The magnitude of inflammation as reflected by urinary LTE(4) is significantly related to the severity of SDB and obesity. However, a correlation between LTE(4) concentration and adenotonsillar size is present only among nonobese children.
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Department, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yuelin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Zhifei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Kunling
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shen
mesh_terms: D000234:Adenoids / Q000473:pathology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006984:Hypertrophy; D017999:Leukotriene E4 / Q000652:urine*; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications*; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000473:pathology*; D017286:Polysomnography / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000150:complications* / Q000652:urine*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D017999:Leukotriene E4