Altered swallowing biomechanics in people with moderate-severe obstructive sleep apnea.

Study Objectives: Dysphagia is a common but under-recognized complication of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). However, the mechanisms remain poorly described. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to assess swallowing symptoms and use high-resolution pharyngeal manometry to quantify swallowing biomechanics in patients with moderate-severe OSA.

Increased Platelet Aggregation in Children and Adolescents with Sleep-disordered Breathing.

Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is associated with increased vascular resistance in children and adults. Persistent increased vascular resistance damages vascular endothelial cells-a marker of which is increased platelet activation. This study compared whole-blood impedance platelet aggregation in children with clinically diagnosed SDB warranting adenotonsillectomy and healthy control subjects.

The microbial abundance dynamics of the paediatric oral cavity before and after sleep.

: Microhabitats in the oral cavity differ in microbial taxonomy. However, abundance variations of bacterial and viral communities within these microhabitats are not fully understood. : To assess the spatial distribution and dynamics of the microbial abundances within 6 microhabitats of the oral cavity before and after sleep.

The Inconsistent Nature of Heart Rate Variability During Sleep in Normal Children and Adolescents.

Cardiac function is modulated by multiple factors including exogenous (circadian rhythm) and endogenous (ultradian 90-110 min sleep cycle) factors. By evaluating heart rate variability (HRV) during sleep, we will better understand their influence on cardiac activity. The aim of this study was to evaluate HRV in the dark phase of the circadian rhythm during sleep in healthy children and adolescents.

Differences in dentofacial morphology in children with sleep disordered breathing are detected with routine orthodontic records.

Background: Residual snoring in children with obstructive sleep disordered breathing (SDB) may continue post-adenotonsillectomy. This study aims to identify baseline dentofacial differences in children with SDB using routine orthodontic records that might aid effective early intervention for the upper airway to prevent continued obstruction.

Methods: Children (6-16 years) with clinically diagnosed SDB from a paediatric Otolaryngology Clinic who required adenotonsillectomy were participants (n = 10).

Ascending aortic blood flow velocity is increased in children with primary snoring/mild sleep-disordered breathing and associated with an increase in CD8 T cells expressing TNFα and IFNγ.

Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is associated with cardiovascular disease and systemic inflammation in adults but this remains to be explored in children, especially in children with the most common form of SDB, i.e. primary snoring/mild SDB.

Altered Nocturnal Cardiovascular Control in Children With Sleep-Disordered Breathing.

Study Objectives: To assess cardiovascular control during sleep in children with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and the effect of adenotonsillectomy in comparison to healthy nonsnoring children.

Methods: Cardiorespiratory signals obtained from overnight polysomnographic recordings of 28 children with SDB and 34 healthy nonsnoring children were analyzed. We employed an autoregressive closed-loop model with heart period (RR) and pulse transit time (PTT) as outputs and respiration as an external input to obtain estimates of respiratory gain and baroreflex gain.

Relationship between Vascular Resistance and Sympathetic Nerve Fiber Density in Arterial Vessels in Children With Sleep Disordered Breathing.

Background: Sleep disordered breathing in children is associated with increased blood flow velocity and sympathetic overactivity. Sympathetic overactivity results in peripheral vasoconstriction and reduced systemic vascular compliance, which increases blood flow velocity during systole. Augmented blood flow velocity is recognized to promote vascular remodeling.

Delayed brachial artery dilation response and increased resting blood flow velocity in young children with mild sleep-disordered breathing.

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate whether the vascular dysfunction perceived in adults with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) was also evident in children with snoring referred for evaluation of clinically suspected SDB.

Objectives: This study compared flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), measured at the brachial artery, at rest and during hyperaemic stress between children who snore [n = 23; mean standard deviation (SD) age = 7.51 (1.

Flow-mediated dilatation, using time course data, shows maturation of the brachial artery from young children to mid-adolescents.

Flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) is a tool widely used to measure arterial responsiveness to sheer stress. However, there is scant literature to show how the peripheral arterial response changes as the vascular system matures. One reason for this is that the feasibility of measuring FMD in younger children has not been established.

Brown adipose tissue thermogenesis precedes food intake in genetically obese Zucker (fa/fa) rats.

In Sprague-Dawley rats, brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis occurs in an episodic ultradian manner (BAT on-periods) as part of the basic rest-activity cycle (BRAC). Eating occurs approximately 15min after the onset of BAT on-periods. Zucker obese (fa/fa) rats eat larger less frequent meals than control rats.