Pediatric pulse oximetry-based OSA screening at different thresholds of the apnea-hypopnea index with an expression of uncertainty for inconclusive classifications.

Background: Assessments of pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are underutilized across Canada due to a lack of resources. Polysomnography (PSG) measures OSA severity through the average number of apnea/hypopnea events per hour (AHI), but is resource intensive and requires a specialized sleep laboratory, which results in long waitlists and delays in OSA detection. Prompt diagnosis and treatment of OSA are crucial for children, as untreated OSA is linked to behavioral deficits, growth failure, and negative cardiovascular consequences.