Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome and obesity in children

DKK Ng, YY Lam, KL Kwok, PY Chow
Department of Paediatrics, Kwong Wah Hospital, 25 Waterloo Road, Hong Kong

OBJECTIVE. To review data on children who have both obesity and obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome.

DATA SOURCE. Pubmed and MEDLINE (Ovid) literature search using the following key words: obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, obesity, and children.

STUDY SELECTION. Literature and data on obesity-associated obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome in children.

DATA EXTRACTION. Review of relevant information and data.

DATA SYNTHESIS. Different definitions of obesity and obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome in children were used in different studies, which made it difficult to compare results from different studies conducted in different countries. Nonetheless, obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome was found to be moderately prevalent among obese children—namely, 13% to 36%. The severity of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome was positively related to the degree of obesity. Blood pressure was found to be elevated in obese children with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome. Weight reduction is an effective treatment.

CONCLUSION. Children with obesity and obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome face a double challenge. A holistic approach to management requires a clear understanding of how both problems interact.

Hong Kong Med J 2004;10:44-8

Key words: Child; Obesity; Sleep apnea, obstructive