Allergic rhinitis increases risk of moderate-to-severe OSA in children: Study

A new study published in the journal of Sleep and Breathing showed that a higher risk of moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in children may be linked to male gender and the presence of allergic rhinitis (AR). The most prevalent sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is obstructive sleep apnea. In healthy adults and children, OSA prevalence ranged from 3.5% to 20.4% and 1% to 5%, respectively, and was considerably greater for SDB. Prolonged partial upper airway obstruction and/or occasional full blockage are characteristics of OSA which interferes with regular breathing and sleep cycles.

Also, these respiratory conditions may raise the chance of metabolic, neurological, and cardiovascular problems. The people frequently suffer from eczema, asthma, allergic rhinitis (AR), and other allergic illnesses. AR is a widespread illness that impacts 10% to 40% of people worldwide. Another frequent sleep-related respiratory condition that affects kids is obstructive sleep apnea. Therefore, Bo Yang and team conducted this study to characterize the variables linked to the onset and advancement of severe types of pediatric OSA.

Children having a discharge diagnosis of OSA who were hospitalized between January 2020 and December 2020 to the Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, China, were included in this study. Following evaluations of the apnoea-hypopnea index (AHI) and lowest oxygen saturation (LSaO2) using established methods, each patient had a polysomnography test. The computerized medical records of the hospital were used to gather clinical and demographic data. A univariate logistic model was used to investigate the relationships between OSA severity and other covariates. Multivariate analysis was then used to further discover independent risk factors.

During the research period, 263 children in all were identified. Standardized recommendations indicate that 48.7% of people with OSA had moderate to severe symptoms, whereas 51.3% had mild symptoms. In this population, 39.2% of people had mild hypoxemia, and 60.8% had moderate to severe hypoxemia. After controlling for variables, moderate-to-severe OSA was significantly linked with male gender and allergic rhinitis (all P-values < 0.05). P < 0.05 indicated that AR was the sole significant predictor of hypoxemia.

Overall, in order to lower the risk of severe OSA and associated consequences, our findings highlight the need for early identification and care of AR in children. For children with OSA, especially those with AR, tailored treatment strategies may enhance results and slow the course of the illness to more advanced stages.

Reference:

Yang, B., Zou, Q., Wang, F., Pang, Y., Wei, P., & Xing, Y. (2024). Allergic rhinitis as a predictor of moderate-to-severe paediatric obstructive sleep apnoea. In Sleep and Breathing (Vol. 28, Issue 3, pp. 1303–1310). Springer Science and Business Media LLC. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-024-03011-6