Initiatives to improve lung and sleep health in children: Delphi consensus from the pediatrics, pulmonary, and sleep conference.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The lung and sleep health of adults is heavily influenced by early factors, both genetic and environmental; therefore, optimizing respiratory health begins in childhood. Multiple barriers impede improvements in lung and sleep health for children. First, the traditional siloing between general pediatric care in the community, pediatric pulmonary and sleep subspecialty care, and the research community limits the translation of knowledge into practice. Additionally, identifying and addressing health disparities remains a challenge. The 2021 NHLBI-sponsored workshop "Defining and Promoting Pediatric Pulmonary Health (DAP3H)" was a first step in defining critical gaps in our current healthcare system in identifying and optimizing lung and sleep health in children. The workshop identified key opportunities including measuring pulmonary function in young children, sleep-focused outcomes, developing biomarkers, and longitudinal research cohorts. To expand on the work of DAP3H and continue initiatives to improve childhood lung and sleep health, the Pediatrics & Pulmonary Network: Improving Health Together conference was held in 2023. STUDY DESIGN: A modified Delphi process was applied to form consensus surrounding gaps, barriers, and action items, with the goal of identifying the most urgent opportnities for improving childhood lung and sleep health. RESULTS: Cross-cutting foundational principles were identified as: (1) Authentic Stakeholder Collaboration & Engagement, (2) Reach & Implementation in Real World Settings, (3) Understanding Current Landscape & Resources and (4) Purposeful Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Initiatives. CONCLUSIONS: To improve lung and sleep health in children, these principles should be the foundation for research design, development, and implementation.

Diagnosis of sleep disorders in child healthcare settings.

OBJECTIVES: Sleep disorders impact at least 10 % of children, pose risks to overall wellbeing, and are key targets of preventive interventions. The objectives of this study were to describe the prevalence of pediatric sleep disorder diagnoses across sociodemographic characteristics and co-occurring conditions, and to explore potential sociodemographic disparities. METHODS: Cross-sectional analysis of 12,394,902 children (0-17 years; 50.9 % Medicaid-insured) in the 2017 MarketScan database. Prevalence was assessed utilizing ICD-10 codes, with multivariate logistic regressions examining disparities (insurance coverage; race and ethnicity in Medicaid-insured) for diagnoses in ≥0.10 % of children. RESULTS: The prevalence of sleep disorder diagnoses was 2.36 %. The most common diagnoses were obstructive sleep disordered breathing (oSDB, 1.17 %), unspecified sleep disorders (0.64 %), insomnia (0.52 %), and other SDB (0.10 %), with <0.10 % for all other diagnoses. Insomnia and parasomnias diagnoses were much lower than diagnostic estimates. Sleep diagnoses were more prevalent in Medicaid versus commercially insured youth, 2-5-year-olds, and in children with co-occurring medical, neurodevelopmental, or behavioral health conditions. Girls and boys were generally equally likely to be diagnosed with any sleep disorder. In Medicaid-insured children, white children were more likely to have any sleep diagnosis compared to all other racial and ethnic groups. Black/African American children were more likely than white children to have oSDB. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to diagnostic estimates, claims data suggest sleep disorders are under-diagnosed, with notable sociodemographic disparities. Findings suggest a need for clinical resources to identify and address sleep disorders and to understand biases potentially driving disparities, given that sleep is a modifiable determinant of child wellbeing.

Tracheostomy and inpatient outcomes among children with congenital central hypoventilation syndrome: A kids' inpatient database study.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (CCHS) is a rare disease predisposing children to respiratory failure due to abnormal ventilatory drive. Variability in hypoventilation and respiratory support need have been reported. We aim to identify clinical variables associated with incident tracheostomy and common etiologies of hospitalization among children with CCHS. METHODS: Hospital discharge records were obtained for children (<21 years) with CCHS hospitalized between 2006 and 2019 from the Kid's Inpatient Database. Primary diagnostic categories for hospitalizations with CCHS were summarized. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to explore risk factors associated with incident tracheostomy. RESULTS: Among 2404 hospitalizations with CCHS, 133 (5.5%) had incident tracheostomy, 1230 (51.2%) had established tracheostomy, and 1041 (43.3%) had no tracheostomy. Compared with children without tracheostomy, those with incident tracheostomy were younger, had a history of prematurity, congenital heart disease, laryngeal, glottic, and subglottic stenosis (LGSS), congenital airway anomalies, neuromuscular weakness, gastroesophageal reflux disease. Children without tracheostomy had higher mortality than those with tracheostomy status (2.19% vs. 0.66%). Multivariable-adjusted analyses showed that incident tracheostomy was associated with infancy (0-1 years), neuromuscular weakness, and congenital heart disease. Most common diagnostic categories include (1) diseases of the respiratory system (30.23%), (2) injury and poisoning (9.35%), and (3) diseases of the nervous system and sense organs (6.71%). CONCLUSIONS: Children with CCHS who received incident tracheostomy are more likely to be younger and with LGSS, neuromuscular weakness and congenital heart disease. Clinicians should be aware of these risk factors representing more severe CCHS with earlier manifestation needing tracheostomy. Higher mortality among nontracheostomy group highlights the need for considering tracheostomy in caring for children with CCHS.

Incidence of pediatric narcolepsy diagnosis and management: evidence from claims data.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to characterize the incidence of pediatric narcolepsy diagnosis, subsequent care, and potential sociodemographic disparities in a large US claims database. METHODS: Merative MarketScan insurance claims (n = 12,394,902) were used to identify youth (6-17 years of age) newly diagnosed with narcolepsy (International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision codes). Narcolepsy diagnosis and care 1 year postdiagnosis included polysomnography with Multiple Sleep Latency Test, pharmacological care, and clinical visits. Potential disparities were examined by insurance coverage and child race and ethnicity (Medicaid-insured only). RESULTS: The incidence of narcolepsy diagnosis was 10:100,000, primarily type 2 (69.9%). Most diagnoses occurred in adolescents with no sex differences, but higher rates in Black vs White youth with Medicaid. Two thirds had a prior sleep disorder diagnosis and 21-36% had other co-occurring diagnoses. Only half (46.6%) had polysomnography with Multiple Sleep Latency Test (± 1 year postdiagnosis). Specialty care (18.9% pulmonary, 26.9% neurology) and behavioral health visits were rare (34.4%), although half were prescribed stimulant medications (51.0%). Medicaid-insured were 86% less likely than commercially insured youth to have any clinical care and 33% less likely to have polysomnography with Multiple Sleep Latency Test. CONCLUSIONS: Narcolepsy diagnoses occurred in 0.01% of youth, primarily during adolescence, and at higher rates for Black vs White children with Medicaid. Only half overall had evidence of a diagnostically required polysomnography with Multiple Sleep Latency Test, underscoring potential misdiagnosis. Many patients had co-occurring conditions, but specialty and behavioral health care were limited. Results suggest misdiagnosis, underdiagnosis, and limited narcolepsy treatment, as well as possible disparities. Results highlight the need to identify determinants of evidence-based pediatric narcolepsy diagnosis and management. CITATION: Tang SH, Min J, Zhang X, et al. Incidence of pediatric narcolepsy diagnosis and management: evidence from claims data. J Clin Sleep Med. 2024;20(7):1141-1151.

Neighborhood Disadvantage, Quality of Life, and Symptom Burden in Children with Mild Sleep-disordered Breathing.

Rationale: Neighborhood disadvantage (ND) has been associated with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in children. However, the association between ND and SDB symptom burden and quality of life (QOL) has not yet been studied.Objectives: To evaluate associations between ND with SDB symptom burden and QOL.Methods: Cross-sectional analyses were performed on 453 children, ages 3-12.9 years, with mild SDB (habitual snoring and apnea-hypopnea index < 3/h) enrolled in the PATS (Pediatric Adenotonsillectomy Trial for Snoring) multicenter study. The primary exposure, neighborhood disadvantage, was characterized by the Child Opportunity Index (COI) (range, 0-100), in which lower values (specifically COI ⩽ 40) signify less advantageous neighborhoods. The primary outcomes were QOL assessed by the obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)-18 questionnaire (range, 18-126) and SDB symptom burden assessed by the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire-Sleep-related Breathing Disorder (PSQ-SRBD) scale (range, 0-1). The primary model was adjusted for age, sex, race, ethnicity, maternal education, recruitment site, and season. In addition, we explored the role of body mass index (BMI) percentile, environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), and asthma in these associations.Results: The sample included 453 children (16% Hispanic, 26% Black or African American, 52% White, and 6% other). COI mean (standard deviation [SD]) was 50.3 (29.4), and 37% (n = 169) of participants lived in disadvantaged neighborhoods. Poor SDB-related QOL (OSA-18 ⩾ 60) and high symptom burden (PSQ-SRBD ⩾ 0.33) were found in 30% (n = 134) and 75% (n = 341) of participants, respectively. In adjusted models, a COI increase by 1 SD (i.e., more advantageous neighborhood) was associated with an improvement in OSA-18 score by 2.5 points (95% confidence interval [CI], -4.34 to -0.62) and in PSQ-SRBD score by 0.03 points (95% CI, -0.05 to -0.01). These associations remained significant after adjusting for BMI percentile, ETS, or asthma; however, associations between COI and SDB-related QOL attenuated by 23% and 10% after adjusting for ETS or asthma, respectively.Conclusions: Neighborhood disadvantage was associated with poorer SDB-related QOL and greater SDB symptoms. Associations were partially attenuated after considering the effects of ETS or asthma. The findings support efforts to reduce ETS and neighborhood-level asthma-related risk factors and identify other neighborhood-level factors that contribute to SDB symptom burden as strategies to address sleep-health disparities.Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02562040).

Clinical Characteristics of Primary Snoring vs Mild Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Children: Analysis of the Pediatric Adenotonsillectomy for Snoring (PATS) Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: It is unknown whether children with primary snoring and children with mild obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) represent populations with substantially different clinical characteristics. Nonetheless, an obstructive apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) of 1 or greater is often used to define OSA and plan for adenotonsillectomy (AT). Objective: To assess whether a combination of clinical characteristics differentiates children with primary snoring from children with mild OSA. Design, Setting, and Participants: Baseline data from the Pediatric Adenotonsillectomy Trial for Snoring (PATS) study, a multicenter, single-blind, randomized clinical trial conducted at 6 academic sleep centers from June 2016 to January 2021, were analyzed. Children aged 3.0 to 12.9 years with polysomnography-diagnosed (AHI <3) mild obstructive sleep-disordered breathing who were considered candidates for AT were included. Data analysis was performed from July 2022 to October 2023. Main Outcomes and Measures: Logistic regression models were fitted to identify which demographic, clinical, and caregiver reports distinguished children with primary snoring (AHI <1; 311 patients [67.8%]) from children with mild OSA (AHI 1-3; 148 patients [32.2%]). Results: A total of 459 children were included. The median (IQR) age was 6.0 (4.0-7.5) years, 230 (50.1%) were female, and 88 (19.2%) had obesity. A total of 121 (26.4%) were Black, 75 (16.4%) were Hispanic, 236 (51.5%) were White, and 26 (5.7%) were other race and ethnicity. Black race (odds ratio [OR], 2.08; 95% CI, 1.32-3.30), obesity (OR, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.12-2.91), and high urinary cotinine levels (>5 µg/L) (OR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.15-3.06) were associated with greater odds of mild OSA rather than primary snoring. Other demographic characteristics, clinical examination findings, and questionnaire reports did not distinguish between primary snoring and mild OSA. A weighted combination of the statistically significant clinical predictors had limited ability to differentiate children with mild OSA from children with primary snoring. Conclusions and Relevance: In this analysis of baseline data from the PATS randomized clinical trial, primary snoring and mild OSA were difficult to distinguish without polysomnography. Mild OSA vs snoring alone did not identify a clinical group of children who may stand to benefit from AT for obstructive sleep-disordered breathing. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02562040.

Adenotonsillectomy for Snoring and Mild Sleep Apnea in Children: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: The utility of adenotonsillectomy in children who have habitual snoring without frequent obstructive breathing events (mild sleep-disordered breathing [SDB]) is unknown. Objectives: To evaluate early adenotonsillectomy compared with watchful waiting and supportive care (watchful waiting) on neurodevelopmental, behavioral, health, and polysomnographic outcomes in children with mild SDB. Design, Setting, and Participants: Randomized clinical trial enrolling 459 children aged 3 to 12.9 years with snoring and an obstructive apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) less than 3 enrolled at 7 US academic sleep centers from June 29, 2016, to February 1, 2021, and followed up for 12 months. Intervention: Participants were randomized 1:1 to either early adenotonsillectomy (n = 231) or watchful waiting (n = 228). Main Outcomes and Measures: The 2 primary outcomes were changes from baseline to 12 months for caregiver-reported Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) Global Executive Composite (GEC) T score, a measure of executive function; and a computerized test of attention, the Go/No-go (GNG) test d-prime signal detection score, reflecting the probability of response to target vs nontarget stimuli. Twenty-two secondary outcomes included 12-month changes in neurodevelopmental, behavioral, quality of life, sleep, and health outcomes. Results: Of the 458 participants in the analyzed sample (231 adenotonsillectomy and 237 watchful waiting; mean age, 6.1 years; 230 female [50%]; 123 Black/African American [26.9%]; 75 Hispanic [16.3%]; median AHI, 0.5 [IQR, 0.2-1.1]), 394 children (86%) completed 12-month follow-up visits. There were no statistically significant differences in change from baseline between the 2 groups in executive function (BRIEF GEC T-scores: -3.1 for adenotonsillectomy vs -1.9 for watchful waiting; difference, -0.96 [95% CI, -2.66 to 0.74]) or attention (GNG d-prime scores: 0.2 for adenotonsillectomy vs 0.1 for watchful waiting; difference, 0.05 [95% CI, -0.18 to 0.27]) at 12 months. Behavioral problems, sleepiness, symptoms, and quality of life each improved more with adenotonsillectomy than with watchful waiting. Adenotonsillectomy was associated with a greater 12-month decline in systolic and diastolic blood pressure percentile levels (difference in changes, -9.02 [97% CI, -15.49 to -2.54] and -6.52 [97% CI, -11.59 to -1.45], respectively) and less progression of the AHI to greater than 3 events/h (1.3% of children in the adenotonsillectomy group compared with 13.2% in the watchful waiting group; difference, -11.2% [97% CI, -17.5% to -4.9%]). Six children (2.7%) experienced a serious adverse event associated with adenotonsillectomy. Conclusions: In children with mild SDB, adenotonsillectomy, compared with watchful waiting, did not significantly improve executive function or attention at 12 months. However, children with adenotonsillectomy had improved secondary outcomes, including behavior, symptoms, and quality of life and decreased blood pressure, at 12-month follow-up. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02562040.

Defining and Promoting Pediatric Pulmonary Health: Understanding Sleep and Ventilatory Health.

Healthy sleep and optimal ventilatory control begin in early development and are crucial for positive child outcomes. This paper summarizes information presented at the Sleep and Ventilatory Control sessions of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood-sponsored 2021 Defining and Promoting Pediatric Pulmonary Health workshop. These sessions focused on pediatric sleep health, screening for sleep health and sleep disorders in primary care using the electronic health record, infant sleep and ventilatory control, and home sleep testing. Throughout this summary, we discuss key gaps in and barriers to promoting sleep and ventilatory health that were identified during the workshop sessions. We conclude with strategies to address these gaps and barriers and directions for future multidisciplinary research, patient care, and training.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Pediatric Pulmonary Workforce: An Official American Thoracic Society Workshop Report.

Despite growing recognition of the need for increased diversity among students, trainees, and faculty in health care, the medical workforce still lacks adequate representation from groups historically underrepresented in medicine (URiM). The subspecialty field of pediatric pulmonology is no exception. Although there have been efforts to address issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in our own field, gaps persist. To address these gaps, the members of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisory Group (DEI-AG) of the American Thoracic Society Pediatrics Assembly created and distributed a Needs Assessment Survey in the United States and Canada to better understand the racial and ethnic demographics of the pediatric pulmonary workforce and to learn more about successes, gaps, and opportunities to enhance how we recruit, train, and retain a diverse workforce. The DEI-AG leadership cochairs convened a workshop to review the findings of the DEI Needs Assessment Survey and to develop strategies to improve the recruitment and retention of URiM fellows and faculty. This Official ATS Workshop Report aims to identify barriers and opportunities for recruitment, training, and career development within the field of pediatric pulmonology. Additionally, we offer useful strategies and resources to improve the recruitment of URiM residents, the mentorship of trainees and junior faculty, and the career development of URiM faculty in academic centers. This Workshop Report is an important first deliverable by the DEI-AG. We hope that this work, originating from within the Pediatrics Assembly, will serve as a model for other Assemblies, disciplines across the ATS, and other fields in Pediatrics.

Pediatric pulmonology year in review 2022: Sleep medicine.

Pediatric pulmonology publishes original research, review articles, and case reports on a wide variety of pediatric respiratory disorders. In this article, we summarized the past year's publications in sleep medicine and reviewed selected literature from other journals in this field. We focused on original research articles exploring aspects of sleep-disordered breathing in patients with underlying conditions such as asthma, neuromuscular disorders, and Down syndrome. We also explored sleep-disordered breathing risk factors, monitoring, diagnosis, and treatment; and included recent recommendations for drug-induced sleep endoscopy and ways to monitor and improve PAP adherence remotely.

Sociodemographic disparities and healthcare utilization in pediatric obstructive sleep apnea management.

OBJECTIVES: We examined (1) disparities in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) care by insurance coverage, and by child race and ethnicity among Medicaid-insured children (MIC), and (2) healthcare utilization changes after OSA care. METHODS: IBM MarketScan insurance claims were used to index OSA care 1-year before and after initial OSA diagnosis in 2017 among 2-17-year-old children (n = 31,787, MIC: 59%). OSA care and healthcare utilization analyses adjusted for child age, sex, obesity, and complex chronic conditions. RESULTS: We identified 8 OSA care pathways, including no care, which occurred in 34.4% of the overall sample. MIC had 13% higher odds of no OSA care compared to commercially-insured children (CIC). MIC had 32-48% lower odds of any treatment pathway involving specialty care, but a 13-46% higher likelihood of receiving surgical care without polysomnogram (PSG) and PSG only. In MIC, non-Latinx Black/African American (Black) and Hispanic/Latinx children were 1.3-2.2 times more likely than White children to receive treatment involving specialty care and/or PSG, while Black children were 31% less likely than White youth to undergo surgery. In the full sample, surgical care was associated with less outpatient and emergency healthcare utilization compared to those untreated or not surgically treated. CONCLUSIONS: Varied OSA management by insurance coverage suggests disparities in access to and engagement in care and potentially greater disease burden among MIC. Surgical care is associated with reduced healthcare utilization. The lower odds of surgery in Black MIC should be further evaluated in the context of OSA severity, healthcare biases, and family preferences.

Caregiver experiences helping children with Down syndrome use positive airway pressure to treat obstructive sleep apnea.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: While positive airway pressure (PAP) is an efficacious intervention for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in children with Down syndrome (DS), implementation and consistent use can be difficult. Caregiver perspectives and experiences using PAP are described with the aim of informing clinical practice. METHODS: Qualitative semi-structured phone interviews were conducted with 40 caregivers (i.e., mothers) of children with DS and OSAS treated with PAP for at least 6 months. Content analysis was used to identify themes associated with adherence and non-adherence. RESULTS: Respondents indicated variability in caregiver experience with the adoption of PAP and observed benefits of PAP. Varied experiences were attributed to several themes including accessing supplies, interactions with the medical team and equipment company, and patients' unique needs and behaviors, including the child's willingness and ability to adapt to PAP, sensory sensitivities, keeping the mask on all night, and differences in daytime behavior. Many families reported that desensitization with a reward system and trust within the caregiver-patient relationship were helpful. Caregiver suggestions for improving PAP adherence for families of children with DS included improving communication with the medical team and medical equipment company, emphasizing patience, using visual supports, and social support and education for extended family. CONCLUSIONS: Although family experiences varied, several actionable strategies by both the medical team and families emerged for improving the experience of and adherence to PAP in children with DS.

Associations of actigraphy measures of sleep duration and continuity with executive function, vigilance, and fine motor control in children with snoring and mild sleep-disordered breathing.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Children with snoring and mild sleep-disordered breathing may be at increased risk for neurocognitive deficits despite few obstructive events. We hypothesized that actigraphy-based sleep duration and continuity associate with neurobehavioral functioning and explored whether these associations vary by demographic and socioeconomic factors. METHODS: 298 children enrolled in the Pediatric Adenotonsillectomy Trial, ages 3 to 12.9 years, 47.3% from racial or ethnic minority groups, with habitual snoring and an apnea-hypopnea index < 3 were studied with actigraphy (mean 7.5 ± 1.4 days) and completed a computerized vigilance task (Go-No-Go) and a test of fine motor control (9-Hole Pegboard). Caregivers completed the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function. Regression analyses evaluated associations between sleep exposures (24-hour and nocturnal sleep duration, sleep fragmentation index, sleep efficiency) with the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function Global Executive Composite index, pegboard completion time (fine motor control), and vigilance (d prime on the Go-No-Go), adjusting for demographic factors and study design measures. RESULTS: Longer sleep duration, higher sleep efficiency, and lower sleep fragmentation were associated with better executive function; each additional hour of sleep over 24 hours associated with more than a 3-point improvement in executive function (P = .002). Longer nocturnal sleep (P = .02) and less sleep fragmentation (P = .001) were associated with better fine motor control. Stronger associations were observed for boys and children less than 6 years old. CONCLUSIONS: Sleep quantity and continuity are associated with neurocognitive functioning in children with mild sleep-disordered breathing, supporting efforts to target these sleep health parameters as part of interventions for reducing neurobehavioral morbidity. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registry: ClinicalTrials.gov; Name: Pediatric Adenotonsillectomy for Snoring (PATS); URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02562040; Identifier: NCT02562040. CITATION: Robinson KA, Wei Z, Radcliffe J, et al. Associations of actigraphy measures of sleep duration and continuity with executive function, vigilance, and fine motor control in children with snoring and mild sleep-disordered breathing. J Clin Sleep Med. 2023;19(9):1595-1603.

Feasibility and performance of home sleep apnea testing in youth with Down syndrome.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In-laboratory polysomnography is recommended for the evaluation of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in youth with Down syndrome. However, insufficient sleep laboratories are available, particularly for youth with neurocognitive disabilities such as Down syndrome. We hypothesized that level II home sleep apnea testing (HSAT) would be feasible, acceptable, and accurate in detecting polysomnography-defined moderate-severe OSA in youth with Down syndrome. METHODS: Youth 6 to 25 years old with Down syndrome were recruited to undergo in-home level II HSAT with electroencephalogram and in-lab polysomnography. Parents completed questionnaires assessing feasibility, acceptability, and test preference. HSAT, scored blinded to polysomnography result, were compared to reference polysomnography. RESULTS: Forty-three youth (23 female) aged [median (range)] 15.5 (6.1, 25.1) years participated in the study. Forty-one participants were able to complete HSAT and 41 completed polysomnography, with 40 who underwent both tests. HSAT was preferred to polysomnography by 73.7% of parents. Total sleep time for HSAT was 437 ± 123 minutes vs 366 ± 90 minutes for polysomnography (P = .003). Obstructive apnea-hypopnea index by polysomnography was 12.7 events/h (0.2, 113.8), and 32 youth (80%) who completed all testing had OSA. Compared to polysomnography, sensitivity of HSAT was: 0.81, specificity was 0.75, accuracy was 0.8 including 2 youth whose HSAT demonstrated OSA when polysomnography did not. CONCLUSIONS: In youth with Down syndrome, level II HSAT was well-tolerated, preferred compared to in-lab polysomnography, and had good accuracy for detecting moderate-severe OSA. Level II HSAT could provide a means for expanding the evaluation of OSA in youth with Down syndrome. CITATION: Cielo CM, Kelly A, Xanthopoulos M, et al. Feasibility and performance of home sleep apnea testing in youth with Down syndrome J Clin Sleep Med. 2023;19(9):1605-1613.

What's New in Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is common children. There is a demand for more family-focused evaluation and novel diagnostic approaches. Drug-induced sleep endoscopy is increasingly being used clinically in children with Down syndrome and other comorbidities. Several studies have examined the association between OSA and other comorbidities during childhood. Therapeutic options for OSA in children remain limited. Recent studies have examined the utility of hypoglossal nerve stimulation in children with Down syndrome. Positive airway pressure has been a mainstay of OSA treatment. Several recent studies have assessed factors associated with adherence. Infants are challenging to treat for OSA.

Nighttime sleep duration and variability in children with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: Sociodemographic disparities and neurobehavioral outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: This study examined differences in sleep patterns by race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status (SES) among children with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS), and linkages between sleep patterns and neurobehavioral functioning. METHOD: We used baseline data from the Childhood Adenotonsillectomy Study (CHAT), a multicenter, single-blind, randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate the efficacy of early adenotonsillectomy versus watchful waiting with supportive care for children with OSAS. Participants included children with OSAS (ages 5.0-9.9 years). SES indicators were obtained via questionnaire and geocoding (ArcGIS version 10.1). Caregivers and teachers reported on child inattention/impulsivity and executive functioning. Nighttime sleep duration and variability were measured using five-night sleep diaries. RESULTS: Black children experienced shorter nighttime sleep duration than White children, by about 25 min, as well as greater sleep duration variability, while sleep duration was more variable in children of "other" racial and ethnic backgrounds versus White children. Of the socioeconomic correlates, only lower family income was associated with sleep duration variability. A short and more variable nighttime sleep duration were each associated with caregiver-rated child inattention and impulsivity. Greater sleep duration variability was linked to greater teacher-rated, but not caregiver-rated, executive functioning impairments. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to White children with OSAS, Black children with OSAS experience a shorter and more variable nighttime sleep duration. Having a short and/or variable sleep duration may increase risk for neurobehavioral impairments in youth with OSAS, underscoring the potential benefits of sleep health promotion in the context of OSAS care.

Comparison of Caregiver- and Child-Reported Quality of Life in Children With Sleep-Disordered Breathing.

OBJECTIVE: Caregivers frequently report poor quality of life (QOL) in children with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). Our objective is to assess the correlation between caregiver- and child-reported QOL in children with mild SDB and identify factors associated with differences between caregiver and child report. STUDY DESIGN: Analysis of baseline data from a multi-institutional randomized trial SETTING: Pediatric Adenotonsillectomy Trial for Snoring, where children with mild SDB (obstructive apnea-hypopnea index <3) were randomized to observation or adenotonsillectomy. METHODS: The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) assessed baseline global QOL in participating children 5 to 12 years old and their caregivers. Caregiver and child scores were compared. Multivariable regression assessed whether clinical factors were associated with differences between caregiver and child report. RESULTS: PedsQL scores were available for 309 families (mean child age, 7.0 years). The mean caregiver-reported PedsQL score was higher at 75.2 (indicating better QOL) than the mean child-reported score of 67.9 (P < .001). The agreement between caregiver and child total PedsQL scores was poor, with intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.03 (95% CI, -0.09 to 0.15) for children 5 to 7 years old and 0.21 (95% CI, 0.03-0.38) for children 8 to 12 years old. Higher child age and health literacy were associated with closer agreement between caregiver and child report. CONCLUSION: Caregiver- and child-reported global QOL in children with SDB was weakly correlated, more so for young children. In pediatric SDB, child-perceived QOL may be poorer than that reported by caregivers. Further research is needed to assess whether similar trends exist for disease-specific QOL metrics.