Seasonal variability in paediatric obstructive sleep apnoea
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Allergy and respiratory viral infection may contribute to the pathogenesis of sleep disordered breathing (SDB) through promoting adenotonsillar growth. We investigated the seasonal variation of SDB in children by analysing the change in the obstructive apnoea hypopnoea index (OAHI) throughout the year. PARTICIPANTS: 257 3-12-year-old children referred for assessment of SDB underwent overnight polysomnography (PSG). RESULTS: Mean seasonal OAHI was significantly higher in winter (5.1±0.8 events/h) and spring (4.6±0.9 events/h) compared with autumn (2.4±0.8 events/h; p<0.01 and p<0.05, respectively) and summer (2.0±0.5 events/h; p<0.05 for both). There were no differences in OAHI between summer and the other seasons or between winter and spring. CONCLUSIONS: We identified more severe obstructive sleep apnoea in clinically referred children during winter and spring and suggest that inflammation from respiratory viruses may contribute to adenotonsillar hypertrophy, worsening airway obstruction. Clinicians should take season into account when interpreting PSG results.
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Walter et al. showed that in a cohort of 257 children undergoing polysomnography, the OAHI demonstrated significantly higher severity during winter and spring compared with autumn and summer.
“Walter et al. in a cohort of 257 children undergoing polysomnography showed that the OAHI demonstrated significantly higher severity during winter and spring compared with autumn and summer (Walter et al., 2013).”
From Seasonal Variation in Sleep, Respiratory, and Cardiovascular Parameters Assessed by a Wearable Device (2026) · cites this paper as Walter et al., 2013
Cited by
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Vazquez, I. M., Palomino, M., & DelRosso, L. M. (2026) · Journal of Biological Rhythms · doi:10.1177/07487304261433622
- Authors
- Walter, L. M., Nisbet, L. C., Nixon, G. M., Davey, M. J., Anderson, V., Trinder, J., Walker, A. M., & Horne, R. S. C.
- Affiliations
- Monash Medical Centre (AU)
- Monash University (AU)
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute (AU)
- The University of Melbourne (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Walter, L. M.
- Venue
- Archives of Disease in Childhood
- Publisher
- BMJ
- Published
- 2012-12-20
- Volume
- 98
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 208-210
- ISSN
- 0003-9888 (ISSN-L)
- 1468-2044
- OpenAlex
- W1966198759
- Cited by
- 17
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 2 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 2
- FWCI
- 0.86
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Archives of Disease in Childhood (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- HighWire Press Open Archive (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- State Government of Victoria
- National Health and Medical Research Council
- National Medical Research Council
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Obstructive Sleep Apnea Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and related disorders
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Neuroscience of respiration and sleep
- Keywords
- paediatric obstructive sleep apnoea, seasonal variation, sleep-disordered breathing, adenotonsillar hypertrophy, respiratory viral infections, allergy, airway obstruction, winter and spring
- MeSH terms
- Child, Child, Preschool, Female, Humans, Male, Seasons, Severity of Illness Index, Polysomnography, Sleep Apnea, Obstructive
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