Study finds increased 'sibling risk' of obstructive sleep apnea i...(unaffected siblings. The study also ...),Health

The study also examined the sibling risk of adenotonsillar hypertrophy, an important risk factor for pediatric OSA. A total of 13,656 boys and 11,648 girls had a first hospital diagnosis of hypertrophy of the tonsils, or hypertrophy of the adenoids and tonsils. The overall standardized incidence ratios for adenotonsillar hypertrophy among those who had at least one affected sibling were 4.53 for boys and 4.94 for girls. Although this familial risk was much lower than in the group with OSA, the authors report that the increase was highly significant and the numbers of children were much larger than in the OSA group.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine reports that the prevalence of OSA is approximately two percent in otherwise healthy young children. OSA occurs when soft tissue in the back of the throat collapses and blocks the airway during sleep. Most children with OSA have a history of snoring that tends to be loud and may include obvious pauses in breathing and gasps for breath. Parents often notice that the child seems to be working hard to breathe during sleep.

According to the authors, the increased risks for both OSA and adenotonsillar hypertrophy could be an expression of genetic or shared environmental mechanisms. Recent genetic studies of both adult and pediatric patients with OSA indicate that genetic mechanisms do play an important role. Possible environmental factors include the increased medical awareness of sleep disordered breathing over time, both among parents and doctors.

The authors recommend that medical providers ask about sleep-related symptoms in siblings when children present with clinical signs or symptoms of OSA.

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