Sleep-disordered breathing in cystic fibrosis pediatric subjects

OBJECTIVES: To describe the frequency of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in pediatric cystic fibrosis (CF) and to study associations between polysomnographic respiratory parameters and available clinical information. METHODS: This was a retrospective, cross-sectional study. The sample data were obtained from information recorded on patient charts in 2015 and 2016. The study included all individuals with CF aged from 2 to 20 years for whom records were available for polysomnography performed within the previous two years. RESULTS: Sixteen individuals with CF (mean age 11 ± 5.6 years old) were included. Polysomnographic respiratory parameter abnormalities were defined as an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) exceeding one event per hour of sleep or an oxyhemoglobin saturation (SpO(2)) nadir below 90%; observed in 10 subjects (62.5%). Forced expiratory volume in first second (FEV(1)) was correlated (r=0.602, p=0.023) with mean sleep SpO(2). FEV(1) was also negatively correlated with sleep peak end-tidal carbon dioxide (EtpCO(2)) (r=-0.645, p=0.024). Additionally, chronic airway colonization by Pseudomonas aeruginosa was associated with mean EtpCO(2) in non-REM sleep (p=0.024). DISCUSSION: SDB was frequently observed in this sample of children with CF. There was an association between CF respiratory disease progression markers and sleep breathing parameters in children. Sleep studies appear to be an important tool for assessment of the respiratory status of these individuals with CF, although further studies are needed, especially with carbon dioxide sleep analysis.