Quality of life in children with sleep-disordered breathing

Children may present sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and suffer with adverse effects upon their quality of life. OBJECTIVE: This study assessed the quality of life of children with SDB, compared subjects with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and primary snoring (PS), and identified which areas in the OSA-18 questionnaire are more affected. METHODS: This is a historical cohort cross-sectional study carried out on a consecutive sample of children with history of snoring and adenotonsillar hyperplasia. The subject's quality of life was assessed based on the answers their caregivers gave in the OSA-18 questionnaire and on diagnostic polysomnography tests. RESULTS: A number of 59 children participated in this study with mean age of 6.7 ± 2.26 years. The mean score of the OSA-18 was 77.9 ± 13.22 and the area most affected were “caregiver concerns” (21.8 ± 4.25), “sleep disturbance” (18.8 ± 5.19), “physical suffering” (17.3 ± 5.0). The impact was low in 6 children (10.2%), moderate in 33 (55.9%) and high in 20 (33.9%). PS was found in 44 children (74.6%), OSAS in 15 (25.6%). OSAS had higher score on “physical suffering” area than PS (p = 0.04). The AI (r = 0.22; p = 0.08) and AHI (r = 0.14; p = 0.26) were not correlated with OSA-18. CONCLUSION: Sleep disordered breathing in childhood cause impairment in quality of life and areas most affected the OSA-18 were: “caregiver concerns”, “sleep disturbance” and “physical suffering”. OSAS has the domain “physical suffering” more affected than primary snorers.