Cited by 326Obstructive Sleep Apnea ResearchNeuroscience of respiration and sleepSleep and related disorders

Pathophysiology of pediatric obstructive sleep apnea

Open access
Katz, Eliot S., D'Ambrosio, Carolyn M.·2008·Proceedings of the American Thoracic Society

Abstract

Sleep-disordered breathing is a common and serious cause of metabolic, cardiovascular, and neurocognitive morbidity in children. The spectrum of obstructive sleep-disordered breathing ranges from habitual snoring to partial or complete airway obstruction, termed obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Breathing patterns due to airway narrowing are highly variable, including obstructive cycling, increased respiratory effort, flow limitation, tachypnea, and/or gas exchange abnormalities. As a consequence, sleep homeostasis may be disturbed. Increased upper airway resistance is an essential component of OSA, including any combination of narrowing/retropositioning of the maxilla/mandible and/or adenotonsillar hypertrophy. However, in addition to anatomic factors, the stability of the upper airway is predicated on neuromuscular activation, ventilatory control, and arousal threshold. During sleep, most children with OSA intermittently attain a stable breathing pattern, indicating successful neuromuscular activation. At sleep onset, airway muscle activity is reduced, ventilatory variability increases, and an apneic threshold slightly below eupneic levels is observed in non-REM sleep. Airway collapse is offset by pharyngeal dilator activity in response to hypercapnia and negative lumenal pressure. Ventilatory overshoot results in sudden reduction in airway muscle activation, contributing to obstruction during non-REM sleep. Arousal from sleep exacerbates ventilatory instability and, thus, obstructive cycling. Paroxysmal reductions in pharyngeal dilator activity related to central REM sleep processes likely account for the disproportionate severity of OSA observed during REM sleep. Understanding the pathophysiology of pediatric OSA may permit more precise clinical phenotyping, and therefore improve or target therapies related to anatomy, neuromuscular compensation, ventilatory control, and/or arousal threshold.

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Crossref · 10.1513/pats.200707-111mg

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87 of 87 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • In OSA patients, after overcoming the critical closing pressure (Pcrit), a partial or total airway collapse occurs.

    “in OSA patients, after overcoming the critical closing pressure (Pcrit), a partial or total airway collapse will happen.”

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Authors
Katz, E. S., & D'Ambrosio, C. M.
Affiliations
  • Boston Children's Hospital (US)
  • Division of Pulmonary Diseases, Department of Medicine, Tufts-New England Medical Center, and Tufts Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
Venue
Proceedings of the American Thoracic Society
Published
2008-02
Volume
5
Issue
2
Pages
253-262
ISSN
  • 1546-3222 (ISSN-L)
  • 1943-5665
OpenAlex
W2054680308
Cited by
326
References
87
Citations by year
2026: 14 · 2025: 23 · 2024: 23 · 2023: 26 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 29 · 2020: 28 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 17 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 17 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 18
FWCI
1.40
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Proceedings of the American Thoracic Society (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (HL073238, K23HL073238)
  • National Center for Research Resources (M01-RR02172, M01RR002172, RR02172)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Obstructive Sleep Apnea Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Neuroscience of respiration and sleep
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and related disorders
Keywords
pediatric obstructive sleep apnea, sleep-disordered breathing, upper airway resistance, airway collapse, ventilation control, arousal threshold, REM sleep, NREM sleep, adenotonsillar hypertrophy, neuromuscular activation, sleep homeostasis, snoring
MeSH terms
Child, Electromyography, Humans, Obesity, Pharynx, Risk Factors, Snoring, Craniofacial Abnormalities, Sleep Apnea, Obstructive

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