Prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing in Japanese children: efficiency of screening with nocturnal pulse oximetry

The purposes of this study were: (1) to confirm the prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in Japanese children using nocturnal pulse oximetry (NPOx) as a screening tool and (2) to examine what kind of parameters are suitable for the evaluation of SDB in children. We conducted a study of 99 children between 4 and 15-year-old and obtained their demographic characteristics and the presence of SDB-related symptoms by questionnaire from their parents. In our study, 36% had been Down syndrome (DS), 25% had cardiovascular disease and 34% had dental/oral abnormality. As SDB-related symptoms, snoring (35%), awake disturbance (48%), arousal (41%) and nocturia (19%) were reported. We analyzed each parameter based on the previous reported data of children and temporary defined normal range as follows; 3%ODI < 2.04, 4%ODI < 0.78, SpO2 nadir > 89% and McGill oximetry score = 1. In non-DS group, each parameter showed abnormal value especially in younger group (abnormality; 61–94%), but the abnormality was decreased during the growth (abnormality; 11–63%). Interestingly, in DS group the value of each parameter was kept on abnormal during the growth (abnormality; 55–100%). We investigated the correlation between McGill oximetry score and ODI or SpO2 nadir. There was a significant positive correlation between McGill oximetry score and 3% or 4% ODI. Moreover, there was a significant negative correlation between McGill oximetry score and SpO2 nadir. Based on NPOx screening, prevalence of SDB was high; however, it was decreased during the growth in non-DS group. Each parameter might be useful for SDB screening in children.