Acoustic arousal responses in children with obstructive sleep apnea

Our objectives were to study the arousal responses to nonrespiratory (acoustic) stimuli in children with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). the acoustic arousal response was studied in children with OSAS due to adenotonsillar hypertrophy compared to normal, age-matched children. Acoustic stimuli were delivered incrementally from 30-100 dB during stage 2, slow wave sleep, and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. the percentage of children who aroused in response to acoustic stimuli, and the arousal threshold (i.e., sound level at which arousal occurred), were compared between groups and sleep stages. the percentage of children who aroused was similar between children with OSAS and controls. the percentage of children who aroused was lower during slowwave sleep than REM sleep and stage 2 in both OSAS and controls. There were no statistically significant differences in acoustic arousal threshold between OSAS and control children. There was no difference in arousal response to moderate acoustic stimulation between children with OSAS and controls. These results contrast with previous data showing blunted arousal responses to hypercapnia and upper airway loading during sleep in children with OSAS, suggesting that children with OSAS have an arousal deficit specific to respiratory stimuli. However, further studies evaluating arousal to both respiratory and nonrespiratory stimuli in the same subjects are needed.Univ Penn, Childrens Hosp Philadelphia, Sch Med, Div Pulm Med, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USAUniv Penn, Childrens Hosp Philadelphia, Sch Med, Sleep Ctr, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USAUniv Penn, Childrens Hosp Philadelphia, Sch Med, Div Biostat & Epidemiol, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USAJohns Hopkins Univ, Eudowood Div Pediat Resp Sic, Baltimore, MD 21218 USAUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Pediat, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Psychobiol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Resp Med, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Pediat, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Psychobiol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Resp Med, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc