Abstract
BackgroundThis study aimed to determine the prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing among primary school children in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and to evaluate associations between sleep-disordered breathing and respiratory conditions/orofacial symptoms.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, 1600 questionnaires were distributed to Saudi boys and girls aged 6–12 years from 16 primary schools in Riyadh. The questionnaire covered relevant demographic and personal characteristics, presence of respiratory conditions and orofacial symptoms, and the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire. The latter was used to assess the prevalence of symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing and was completed by the participating children’s parents.ResultsIn total, 1350 completed questionnaires were returned (85% response rate). The children’ mean age was 9.2 ± 1.8 years; 733 (54.3%) were boys and 617 (45.7%) girls. Overall, 21% of children were at high risk of sleep-disordered breathing. The prevalence of snoring was 14.4% and that of sleep apnea 3.4%. Boys were at higher risk of sleep-disordered breathing than girls (P = 0.040). Children with respiratory conditions or orofacial symptoms were at higher risk of sleep-disordered breathing (P < 0.0001) than children without these conditions/symptoms.ConclusionsAround 21% of Saudi children are at risk of sleep-disordered breathing. There is a strong association between sleep-disordered breathing symptoms and the presence of respiratory conditions or orofacial symptoms.
Highlights
This study aimed to determine the prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing among primary school children in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and to evaluate associations between sleep-disordered breathing and respiratory conditions/orofacial symptoms
All respiratory conditions and orofacial symptoms were more common in high-risk children (P < 0.001)
We found that respiratory conditions are common in children at high risk of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and the associations are strong
Summary
This study aimed to determine the prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing among primary school children in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and to evaluate associations between sleep-disordered breathing and respiratory conditions/orofacial symptoms. The term sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) covers a continuum of conditions ranging from primary snoring to severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) [1]. Symptoms of SDB in children include snoring, difficulty breathing, mouth breathing, noisy breathing, sweating during sleep, and unusual sleeping positions that are adopted to overcome breathing difficulties. A Turkish study reported a 7% prevalence of habitual snoring among children aged 6–13 years [11]. An 11.4% prevalence of habitual snoring was reported among Indian children aged 8–13 years [12] and a prevalence of 12% in Chinese schoolchildren [7].
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