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. 2010 Sep-Oct;76(5):552-6.
doi: 10.1590/S1808-86942010000500003.

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in mouth breathing children

[Article in English, Portuguese]
Suemy Cioffi Izu  1 , Caroline Harumi Itamoto, Márcia Pradella-Hallinan, Gilberto Ulson Pizarro, Sérgio Tufik, Shirley Pignatari, Reginaldo Raimundo Fujita
Affiliations

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in mouth breathing children

[Article in English, Portuguese]
Suemy Cioffi Izu et al. Braz J Otorhinolaryngol. 2010 Sep-Oct.

Abstract

It is well known that mouth breathing is associated with adenotonsillar hypertrophy - which is the main cause of obstructive sleep apnea among children. Despite the importance of this matter, there are only a handful of studies showing the relationship between OSAS and mouth breathing.

Aim: to determine the prevalence of obstructive sleep disorders in mouth breathing children and study its correlation with otorhinolaryngological findings.

Study design: Retrospective cohort study.

Method: Data analysis from 248 medical charts of mouth breathing children seen at the Pediatric Otolaryngologic Division of a large medical institution between the years of 2000 and 2006. All patients had nasofibroscopy and or Cavum radiographs and polysomnographic exams. According to the Apnea index, patients were classified as primary snorers (AI<1); and as OSAS (>1).

Results: From 248 patients included in the study, 144 (58%) were primary snorers and 104 (42%) had OSAS. The most prevalent otorhinolaryngological findings were adenotonsillar hypertrophy (n=152; 61.2%), tonsilar hypertrophy (n=17; 6.8%), adenoid hypertrophy (n=37; 14.9%), rhinitis (n=155; 62.5%) and secretory otitis (n=36; 14.5%).

Conclusions: primary snoring and OSAS are frequent findings in mouth breathing children. The most frequent otorhinolaryngological disorder in children with OSAS is adenotonsillar hypertrophy with or without rhinitis.

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Figures

Chart 1
Chart 1
Distribution of sleep respiratory disorders according to gender and age.
Chart 2
Chart 2
Distribution of sleep respiratory disorders according to age and gender.
Chart 3
Chart 3
O2 saturation Nadir in sleep respiratory disorder.
Chart 4
Chart 4
ENT findings in patients with sleep respiratory disorders.
Chart 5
Chart 5
ENT findings in patients with mild OSAS.
Chart 6
Chart 6
ENT findings in patients with moderate OSAS.
Chart 7
Chart 7
Clinical and ENT findings n patients with severe OSAS.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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