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Case Reports
. 2022 Jun 1;18(6):1723-1726.
doi: 10.5664/jcsm.9970.

Chewing gum: alternative therapy to oxygen intolerance

Kanokkarn Sunkonkit  1   2   3 , Sarah Selvadurai  4 , E Ann Yeh  2   5 , Jill Hamilton  2   6 , Indra Narang  1   2   4
Affiliations
Case Reports

Chewing gum: alternative therapy to oxygen intolerance

Kanokkarn Sunkonkit et al. J Clin Sleep Med. .

Abstract

Rapid-onset obesity with hypothalamic dysregulation, hypoventilation, and autonomic dysregulation (ROHHAD) syndrome is a rare complex disorder associated with alterations in the endocrine system, autonomic nervous system, and respiratory system. Previously published case reports and studies have noted sleep-disordered breathing in patients with ROHHAD syndrome. Nocturnal respiratory manifestations, which if untreated early by respiratory support, may cause cardiorespiratory arrest and a life-threatening condition. More recently, it has been recognized that children with ROHHAD syndrome have central pauses during wakefulness associated with intermittent oxygen desaturations. We report novel findings of a child with ROHHAD syndrome displaying an irregular breathing pattern and significant central pauses associated with oxygen desaturations during wakefulness, whose respiratory status improved while chewing gum. This was used as an alternative to supplemental oxygen therapy.

Citation: Sunkonkit K, Selvadurai S, Yeh EA, Hamilton J, Narang I. Chewing gum: alternative therapy to oxygen intolerance. J Clin Sleep Med. 2022;18(6):1723-1726.

Keywords: ROHHAD; chewing gum; children; mastication; sleep-disordered breathing.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors have seen and approved the final manuscript. The legal guardians or the parents have consented to the submission of the data to the journal. The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Sixty-second epoch of daytime cardiopulmonary monitoring using a polysomnography set up.
(A) Lower respiratory rate with pulses in breathing and associated oxygen desaturation (nadir SaO2 was 81%). (B) Respiratory rate and oxygen desaturations improved while chewing gum.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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