Prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing in children with Down syndrome: polygraphic findings in 108 children.

STUDY OBJECTIVES

To assess the prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing in a nonselected group of children with Down syndrome and to determine significant predisposing factors for this condition.

DESIGN

Prospective study.

SETTING

Tertiary care university hospital in Madrid, Spain.

PATIENTS

The study population included 108 consecutive children with Down syndrome (mean [SD] age, 7.9 [4.5] years; range, 1-18 years) independently of whether or not suggestive clinical features of sleep-disordered breathing were present.

INTERVENTIONS

In addition to history, physical examination, and lateral radiographs of the nasopharynx, all participants underwent an overnight cardiorespiratory polygraphy at the hospital using a portable ambulatory device (Apnoescreen II plus). An apnea-hypopnea index of at least 3 was required for defining the presence of sleep-disordered breathing.

RESULTS

The prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing was 54.6%, with a significantly higher prevalence in boys (64.7%) than in girls (38.5%) (P < .05). The group with sleep-disordered breathing was significantly younger (6.4 [3.9] years) than those with normal polysomnographic recordings (9.6 [4.6] years) (P < .001). In the multivariate analysis, age (less than 8 years old) (odds ratio [OR], 3.36; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.40, 8.06); male sex (OR, 3.32; 95% CI, 1.32, 8.12); and tonsillar hyperplasia (OR, 5.24; 95% CI, 1.52, 19.03) were significantly associated with sleep-disordered breathing. Body mass index, adenoid hyperplasia, previous tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy, congenital heart disease, malocclusion, and macroglossia did not affect the prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing in children with Down syndrome is very high, particularly in boys. Tonsillar hyperplasia may play a role in the pathophysiology of sleep-disordered breathing in these patients. Adenoid hyperplasia, obesity, and congenital heart disease were not important risk factors for sleep-disordered breathing.