Risk factors of sleep-disordered breathing and poor asthma control in children with asthma

BMC Pediatr. 2024 Apr 30;24(1):288. doi: 10.1186/s12887-024-04762-7.

Abstract

Background: Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) may lead to poor asthma control in children.

Objective: To identify risk factors of SDB in children with asthma and assess its impact on asthma control.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we collected data of outpatients with asthma at the Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from June 2020 to August 2021. The Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire-Sleep-Related Breathing Disorder and the age-appropriate asthma control tests Childhood Asthma Control Test and Test for Respiratory and Asthma Control in Kids were completed.

Results: We enrolled 397 children with a male-to-female ratio of 1.7:1 and a mean age of 5.70 ± 2.53 years. The prevalence of SDB was 21.6%. Allergic rhinitis (odds ratio OR = 3.316), chronic tonsillitis (OR = 2.246), gastroesophageal reflux (OR = 7.518), adenoid hypertrophy (OR = 3.479), recurrent respiratory infections (OR = 2.195), and a family history of snoring (OR = 2.048) were risk factors for the development of combined SDB in children with asthma (p < 0.05). Asthma was poorly controlled in 19.6% of the children. SDB (OR = 2.391) and irregular medication use (OR = 2.571) were risk factors for poor asthma control (p < 0.05).

Conclusions: Allergic rhinitis, chronic tonsillitis, gastroesophageal reflux, adenoid hypertrophy, recurrent respiratory infections, and a family history of snoring were independent risk factors for the development of SDB in children with asthma. SDB and irregular medication use were independent risk factors for poor asthma control.

Keywords: Asthma; Children; Risk factors; Sleep-disordered breathing.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenoids / pathology
  • Asthma* / complications
  • Asthma* / epidemiology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • China / epidemiology
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Prevalence
  • Respiratory Tract Infections / complications
  • Respiratory Tract Infections / epidemiology
  • Rhinitis, Allergic / complications
  • Rhinitis, Allergic / epidemiology
  • Risk Factors
  • Sleep Apnea Syndromes* / complications
  • Sleep Apnea Syndromes* / epidemiology
  • Snoring / epidemiology
  • Tonsillitis / complications
  • Tonsillitis / epidemiology