Sleep-Related Breathing Disorders of Childhood: Description and Clinical Picture, Diagnosis, and Treatment Approaches

Anti-inflammatory medications for obstructive sleep apnoea in children

BACKGROUND

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is characterised by partial or complete upper airway obstruction during sleep. Approximately 1% to 4% of children are affected by OSA, with adenotonsillar hypertrophy being the most common underlying risk factor. Surgical removal of enlarged adenoids or tonsils is the currently recommended first-line treatment for OSA due to adenotonsillar hypertrophy. Given the perioperative risk and an estimated recurrence rate of up to 20% following surgery, there has recently been an increased interest in less invasive alternatives to adenotonsillectomy. As the enlarged adenoids and tonsils consist of hypertrophied lymphoid tissue, anti-inflammatory drugs have been proposed as a potential non-surgical treatment option in children with OSA.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the efficacy and safety of anti-inflammatory drugs for the treatment of OSA in children.

SEARCH METHODS

We identified trials from searches of the Cochrane Airways Group Specialised Register, CENTRAL and MEDLINE (1950 to 2019). For identification of ongoing clinical trials, we searched ClinicalTrials.gov and the World Health Organization (WHO) trials portal.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing anti-inflammatory drugs against placebo in children between one and 16 years with objectively diagnosed OSA (apnoea/hypopnoea index (AHI) ≥ 1 per hour).

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two authors independently performed screening, data extraction, and quality assessment. We separately pooled results for the comparisons 'intranasal steroids' and 'montelukast' against placebo using random-effects models. The primary outcomes for this review were AHI and serious adverse events. Secondary outcomes included the respiratory disturbance index, desaturation index, respiratory arousal index, nadir arterial oxygen saturation, mean arterial oxygen saturation, avoidance of surgical treatment for OSA, clinical symptom score, tonsillar size, and adverse events.

MAIN RESULTS

We included five trials with a total of 240 children aged one to 18 years with mild to moderate OSA (AHI 1 to 30 per hour). All trials were performed in specialised sleep medicine clinics at tertiary care centres. Follow-up time ranged from six weeks to four months. Three RCTs (n = 137) compared intranasal steroids against placebo; two RCTs compared oral montelukast against placebo (n = 103). We excluded one trial from the meta-analysis since the patients were not analysed as randomised. We also had concerns about selective reporting in another trial. We are uncertain about the difference in AHI (MD -3.18, 95% CI -8.70 to 2.35) between children receiving intranasal corticosteroids compared to placebo (2 studies, 75 participants; low-certainty evidence). In contrast, children receiving oral montelukast had a lower AHI (MD -3.41, 95% CI -5.36 to -1.45) compared to those in the placebo group (2 studies, 103 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). We are uncertain whether the secondary outcomes are different between children receiving intranasal corticosteroids compared to placebo: desaturation index (MD -2.12, 95% CI -4.27 to 0.04; 2 studies, 75 participants; moderate-certainty evidence), respiratory arousal index (MD -0.71, 95% CI -6.25 to 4.83; 2 studies, 75 participants; low-certainty evidence), and nadir oxygen saturation (MD 0.59%, 95% CI -1.09 to 2.27; 2 studies, 75 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). Children receiving oral montelukast had a lower respiratory arousal index (MD -2.89, 95% CI -4.68 to -1.10; 2 studies, 103 participants; moderate-certainty evidence) and nadir of oxygen saturation (MD 4.07, 95% CI 2.27 to 5.88; 2 studies, 103 participants; high-certainty evidence) compared to those in the placebo group. We are uncertain, however, about the difference in desaturation index (MD -2.50, 95% CI -5.53 to 0.54; 2 studies, 103 participants; low-certainty evidence) between the montelukast and placebo group. Adverse events were assessed and reported in all trials and were rare, of minor nature (e.g. nasal bleeding), and evenly distributed between study groups. No study examined the avoidance of surgical treatment for OSA as an outcome.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

There is insufficient evidence for the efficacy of intranasal corticosteroids for the treatment of OSA in children; they may have short-term beneficial effects on the desaturation index and oxygen saturation in children with mild to moderate OSA but the certainty of the benefit on the primary outcome AHI, as well as the respiratory arousal index, was low due to imprecision of the estimates and heterogeneity between studies. Montelukast has short-term beneficial treatment effects for OSA in otherwise healthy, non-obese, surgically untreated children (moderate certainty for primary outcome and moderate and high certainty, respectively, for two secondary outcomes) by significantly reducing the number of apnoeas, hypopnoeas, and respiratory arousals during sleep. In addition, montelukast was well tolerated in the children studied. The clinical relevance of the observed treatment effects remains unclear, however, because minimal clinically important differences are not yet established for polysomnography-based outcomes in children. Long-term efficacy and safety data on the use of anti-inflammatory medications for the treatment of OSA in childhood are still not available. In addition, patient-centred outcomes like concentration ability, vigilance, or school performance have not been investigated yet. There are currently no RCTs on the use of other kinds of anti-inflammatory medications for the treatment of OSA in children. Future RCTs should investigate sustainability of treatment effects, avoidance of surgical treatment for OSA, and long-term safety of anti-inflammatory medications for the treatment of OSA in children and include patient-centred outcomes.

Multifactorial Influences, Including Comorbidities, Contributing to Sleep Disturbance in Children with a Neurodevelopmental Disorder

The term neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD) implies an impairment of the growth and development of the CNS caused by genetic, metabolic, toxic, or traumatic factors. Childhood neuropsychiatric disorder is a subset of NDD. Sleep disturbance is reported in many children with NDD although the details of this association, including extent and types of sleep disturbance, etiology, and assessment and treatment issues, need to be clarified by further research. This review considers the nature of sleep disturbance in NDD. Emphasis is placed on sleep disorders (i.e., the specific conditions that cause sleep problems) of which many are now recognized in the International Classification of Sleep Disorders (ICSD-3), and also intrinsic pathophysiological factors, physical and psychiatric comorbidities, and pharmacological and parental influences, which might contribute to the sleep disorders in children with NDD. The implications of this complexity for assessment and treatment in such children are then discussed. Appropriate treatment based on precise diagnosis of the causes of sleep disturbance is required to mitigate the harmful developmental effects of disordered sleep on children with NDD and their families.

Role of subtotal tonsillectomy (‘tonsillotomy’) in children with sleep disordered breathing

Introduction:

Sleep disordered breathing in children causes disturbance in behaviour and also in cardiorespiratory and neurocognitive function. Subtotal tonsillectomy (‘tonsillotomy’) has been performed to treat sleep disordered breathing, with outcomes comparable to established therapies such as total tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy. This review critically assesses the role of subtotal tonsillectomy in a paediatric setting.

Method:

The Medline database (1966 to October 2012) was electronically searched using key terms including subtotal or intracapsular tonsillectomy, tonsillotomy, tonsillectomy, paediatrics, and sleep disordered breathing.

Results:

Eighteen papers were identified and reviewed. Subtotal tonsillectomy would appear to have an efficacy equal to that of total tonsillectomy for the treatment of sleep disordered breathing, and has significant benefits in reducing post-operative pain and analgesia use. Subtotal tonsillectomy patients appear to have less frequent post-operative haemorrhage compared with total tonsillectomy patients.

Conclusion:

In children, subtotal tonsillectomy is associated with fewer post-operative complications whilst having a comparable effect in improving sleep disordered breathing, compared with total tonsillectomy.

Occult laryngomalacia resulting in obstructive sleep apnea in an infant

Classic laryngomalacia presents in the awake infant with progressive stridor when agitated. Occult laryngomalacia usually presents with stridor in children older than 2 years and is limited to sleep or exercise. There have been no documented cases of occult laryngomalacia causing obstructive sleep apnea in infants. We report the youngest documented case of an infant with state-dependent laryngomalacia resulting in severe obstructive sleep apnea. This patient was successfully treated with supraglottoplasty, with resolution of symptoms. In conclusion, state-dependent laryngomalacia resulting in obstructive sleep apnea may present in children younger than 12 months of age. In these individuals, supraglottoplasty should be considered.

Sleep disorders in children

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The purpose of this review is to examine how sleep disorders in children are affected by age and comorbid medical influences, and to discuss current understanding of how the clinical manifestations, pathophysiology, and treatment of common childhood sleep disorders differ from those of the adult population.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recently established age-specific norms are required for accurate interpretation of polysomnograms and multiple sleep latency tests in children.

SUMMARY

Sleep disorders such as insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, and excessive daytime somnolence are common in both children and adults, but the clinical manifestations and underlying pathophysiology of these disorders vary substantially with age. For example, the bedtime struggles of a temperamental toddler are associated with different symptoms and causative factors compared to psychophysiologic insomnia affecting a middle-aged person. Similarly, a 6-year-old child with obstructive sleep apnea is more likely to exhibit daytime inattention and hyperactivity as a referable daytime symptom than the clear-cut lethargy or sleepiness that most affected adults experience. This review will examine how insomnia, excessive sleepiness, and obstructive sleep apnea differ in children compared to adults.

Changes in sleep apnea after supraglottoplasty in infants with laryngomalacia

OBJECTIVE

To determine the clinical and polysomnography outcomes in infants with laryngomalacia undergoing supraglottoplasty.

METHODS

Infants (<1 year old) who underwent polysomnography pre- and post-supraglottoplasty at our tertiary referral center between 2003 and 2009 were reviewed retrospectively. Outcome measures included changes in stridor, sleep disordered breathing, swallowing, and polysomnography parameters before and after surgery. Pre- and postoperative distributions were compared using a Wilcoxon signed-rank test.

RESULTS

20 children met inclusion criteria. Statistically significant improvements were found in pre- to postoperative median values for apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) (median change: -6.4 points, p=0.02) and obstructive apnea index (median change: -2.9 points, p=0.01) values. Obstructive AHI, O₂ saturation nadir, and percentage of sleep spent with <90% O₂ saturation improved, although not significantly. Postoperative AHI scores correlated with improvements in stridor in 80% of patients. Stratification showed similar improvements in AHI after supraglottoplasty regardless of reflux treatment, secondary airway lesions, age at supraglottoplasty, or time lag between supraglottoplasty and postoperative polysomnography. Secondary airway lesions are the only potential confounders shown to have significantly better improvements in O₂ nadir. While the sleep study improved in patients with AHI >5, infants with AHI <5 had worse polysomnography parameter values postoperatively. Five patients had dysphagia that resolved within one month postoperatively; otherwise, supraglottoplasty resulted in no complications.

CONCLUSION

Supraglottoplasty may be an effective and safe option to improve moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea in infants with laryngomalacia. In addition, polysomnography may be useful in infants with laryngomalacia to identify obstructive sleep apnea and/or to objectively measure outcomes after supraglottoplasty. This pilot study warrants a larger, prospective, and controlled study to validate these findings.

Late-onset laryngomalacia: a cause of pediatric obstructive sleep apnea

OBJECTIVE

To describe the presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of late-onset laryngomalacia in children with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS).

DESIGN

Retrospective study.

SETTING

Tertiary care children's hospital.

PATIENTS

Seventy-seven children were identified who had OSAS diagnosed by polysomnography and underwent airway endoscopy to evaluate for laryngomalacia between July 2006 and December 2008. Children with significant neurologic disease or craniofacial malformations were excluded. Seven children under 3 years of age had laryngomalacia and OSAS (Group A), 19 children 3-18 years of age had laryngomalacia and OSAS (Group B), and 51 children 3-18 years of age had OSAS but not laryngomalacia (Group C).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Comparison of pre-operative findings, intra-operative findings, interventions, and outcomes between the 3 groups.

RESULTS

Group A was consistent with previous reports of congenital laryngomalacia with respect to presentation, diagnosis, and treatment. Groups B and C had similar pre-operative findings, including a high incidence of adenotonsillar hypertrophy, and the only significant difference was the intra-operative finding of laryngomalacia in Group B. Treatments were individualized to include supraglottoplasty, adenoidectomy, tonsillectomy, adenotonsillectomy, or a combination of the above. Of the 52 patients who returned in follow-up, 44 noted improvement, but this was rarely confirmed by polysomnogram.

CONCLUSIONS

Late-onset laryngomalacia may act alone or in concert with additional dynamic or fixed lesions to cause pediatric OSAS. Although there is no specific pre-operative indicator to diagnose late-onset laryngomalacia, it can be readily identified intra-operatively and effectively treated with supraglottoplasty, with or without concurrent adenotonsillectomy.

Anti-inflammatory medications for obstructive sleep apnea in children

BACKGROUND

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is characterized by partial or complete upper airway obstruction during sleep. Approximately 1% to 4% of children are affected by OSA, with adenotonsillar hypertrophy the most common underlying risk factor. Surgical removal of enlarged tonsils and adenoids is the most commonly used treatment for OSA. Given the perioperative risk of the intervention and an estimated recurrence rate of up to 20%, there has recently been an increased interest in non-surgical treatment modalities. As the enlarged adenoids and tonsils consist of hypertrophied lymphoid tissue, anti-inflammatory agents have been proposed as a useful non-invasive treatment option in children with OSA.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the efficacy of anti-inflammatory drugs for the treatment of OSA in children.

SEARCH STRATEGY

We identified trials using searches of the Cochrane Airways Group Specialized Register, MEDLINE (1950 to 2010), EMBASE (1988 to 2010), CINAHL (1982 to 2010), CENTRAL (1964 to 2010), Web of Science (1900 to 2010), LILACS (1982 to 2010) and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (IPA) (1970 to 2010).

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing anti-inflammatory drugs against placebo, other anti-inflammatory drugs, or other treatment in children between one and 16 years with objectively diagnosed OSA (Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI) ≥ 1/hour (h)).

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Both authors independently performed data extraction and quality assessment. It was not possible to combine data from the included studies; we summarized data in a narrative fashion.

MAIN RESULTS

We included three RCTs. The first study was a six-week parallel-group trial (25 participants, mean age 3.8 years, mean AHI 10.8/h) of intranasal fluticasone versus placebo showed a statistically significant effect of the drug on improving the AHI. The second study compared intranasal budesonide with placebo in a six-week cross-over trial (62 participants, mean age 8.2 years, mean AHI 3.7/h). The authors reported an advantage of the drug over placebo in reducing the AHI. However, the patients were not analyzed as randomized so the result must be interpreted with caution. No valid group comparisons were reported for the third trial (30 participants, oral montelukast versus placebo in a 12-week parallel-group trial), which has so far only been published as an abstract.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

A single small study has found a short-term beneficial effect on the AHI in children with mild to moderate OSA. However, long-term safety and efficacy data are not available yet. Further RCTs are needed to evaluate anti-inflammatory drugs for OSA in children.