Survey of the present status of sleep-disordered breathing in children with achondroplasia: Part I. A questionnaire survey

Abstract

An achondroplasia is known to be the inherited disease causing a growth impairment of limb bones. Recently, as a symptom of achondroplasia, a sleep-disordered breathing has been reported. Considering the scientific evidence that the sleep-disordered breathing in children such as that due to tonsillar hypertrophy inhibits somatotropin secretion and causes growth retardation, sleep-disordered breathing in children with achondroplasia may aggravate growth/developmental retardation in addition to the bone growth impairment. However, the present status of the development of sleep-disordered breathing in children with achondroplasia has been unknown. Therefore, in order to clarify the present status of sleep-disordered breathing in children with achondroplasia (AP group), we carried out a questionnaire survey of the breathing state during sleep, growth/development history and the oral state at preschool age and school age in the AP group, and compared the results with previously reported data in healthy children (control group). 1. Among the questionnaire items, the incidences of snoring, apnea, mouth breathing, anterior cross bite, and open bite at preschool age were significantly higher in the AP group than in the control group (P < 0.01) At school age, the AP group showed significantly higher incidences of mouth breathing and cross/open bite (P < 0.01) and snoring and apnea (P < 0.05) than the control group. 2. Height and weight at birth and at the ages of 1.5 and 3 years, excluding birth weight, were significantly lower in the AP group than in the control group (P < 0.01). 3. The chronological age at the initiation of eruption of the deciduous or permanent teeth did not significantly differ between the two groups. Thus, the AP group showed higher incidences of sleep-disordered breathing and malocclusion than the control group, and development of sleep-disordered breathing at preschool age.