Polysomnographic findings in infants with Pierre Robin sequence

INTRODUCTION: Pierre Robin sequence (PRS) is characterized by the triad of micrognathia, glossoptosis, and upper airway obstruction. It is commonly associated with the secondary cleft palate. Infants with PRS commonly have sleep-disordered breathing (SDB); including obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as well as central sleep breathing abnormalities that are present from infancy.
AIM OF THE STUDY: Evaluate the prevalence and severity of SDB in infants with PRS using polysomnography (PSG).
SETTINGS AND DESIGN: We retrospectively reviewed the sleep laboratory database at The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, during the period of May 2007 to March 2016.
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Comparisons of PSG data were made between the OSA and non-OSA group using the Student's t-test for age and body mass index, Wilcoxon signed ranks test for the continuous PSG data and Chi-squared test for the categorical variables.
METHODS: Patients with PRS were identified and their initial PSG was selected for this study. The main indication for referral was ongoing concerns regarding OSA symptoms.
RESULTS: A total of 46 patients (28 females) were included with a mean age (±standard deviation) of 0.8 (±0.3) year. Twenty-two out of 46 (47%) had evidence of OSA of which 10 had mild, 3 had moderate, and 9 had severe OSA. The PRS infants with OSA were younger than the non-OSA group. Significant correlations were found between desaturation and arousal indices with obstructive apnea-hypopnea index.
CONCLUSION: This retrospective chart review confirms a high prevalence of OSA in this population. Prospective longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate the outcomes of OSA in PRS population.