Sleep, sleep disorders and inflammation in children.

Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and, more specifically, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), can lead to significant morbidities including cardiovascular morbidity and neurocognitive dysfunction in children. Oxidative stress and increased inflammatory process activity are thought to be linked to the morbid consequences of OSA. Clinical and laboratory-based approaches have shown that oxidative stress and inflammation may be further modulated by genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors. Surgical treatment for OSA in children has been shown to be at least partially effective at normalizing endothelial function, reducing levels of inflammatory markers, and improving lipid profile, the apnea-hypopnea index and sleep fragmentation.