Adiposity in relation to age as predictor of severity of sleep apnea in children with snoring.

Correlation between obesity and obstructive sleep apnea has been documented in both adults and children. This investigation evaluated importance of body mass index (BMI) in relation to age as predictor of severity of obstructive sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). Children with habitual snoring referred for polysomnography were recruited.

Nocturnal change of circulating intercellular adhesion molecule 1 levels in children with snoring.

Hypoxia promotes adherence of leukocytes to endothelial cells by inducing expression of adhesion molecules like intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1). Increased serum levels of circulating ICAM-1 (cICAM-1) have been reported in adults with sleep apnea and associated hypoxemia. This investigation assessed the hypothesis that the overnight change of cICAM-1 levels in children with snoring is correlated with the severity of obstructive sleep-disordered breathing.

Obstructive sleep-disordered breathing and plasma levels of vascular endothelial growth factor in children.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) may be one of the pathophysiologic links in the association between obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea and cardiovascular disease. Morning serum VEGF levels are increased in children with obstructive sleep apnea. However, release of VEGF by platelets and leukocytes during blood clotting may affect its concentration in serum.

Obstructive sleep-disordered breathing and fasting insulin levels in nonobese children.

A positive correlation of severity of sleep-disordered breathing with morning fasting insulin levels, which is independent of obesity, was reported in adults and obese children. We hypothesized that both severity of sleep-disordered breathing and relative body mass index predict fasting insulin and homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) index values in nonobese children with habitual snoring. One hundred and ten subjects with habitual snoring (median age, 6 years; range, 2-13 years) underwent polysomnography and measurement of morning fasting insulin and glucose levels.