Abstract
BACKGROUND: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), characterized by recurrent partial or complete upper airway obstructions during sleep, is an established risk factor for cardiovascular diseases in children. This study aims to determine the prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), abnormal left ventricular (LV) geometric patterns, and diastolic dysfunction in children with OSA and compare them with healthy controls. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional comparative study conducted on 75 eligible children with OSA aged 2-14 years and 75 age- and sex-matched healthy children. Transthoracic echocardiography was used to assess the LV structures and diastolic function in all the subjects. RESULTS: The mean LV mass index was significantly higher in the patients with OSA (36.53 ± 9.1 g/m(2.7)) as compared to the control group (32.82 ± 7.9 g/m(2.7)) (P = 0.008), and it showed a significant correlation with decreasing peripheral oxygen saturation (r = -0.35, P = 0.002). LVH was present in 8.0% of the patients with OSA and none (0%) of the controls. 29.3% of the patients with OSA and 1.3% of the healthy controls had abnormal LV geometry. LV diastolic dysfunction was present in 6.7% of the patients with OSA and 0% of the controls. LV diastolic dysfunction was significantly higher among the patients with OSA who have abnormal LV geometry compared to those with normal LV geometry (P = 0.002). CONCLUSION: LVH, abnormal LV geometry, and diastolic dysfunction are more common in children with OSA than in healthy controls. Children with OSA and abnormal LV geometry are more likely to have LV diastolic dysfunction.