Older age, obesity, and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) are known to increase the risk of hypertension in adults. However, data for children are scarce. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between hypertension, age, weight status, and disease severity in 396 children with OSAS. The prevalence rates of hypertension, obesity, and severe OSAS (apnea-hypopnea index ≥10) were 27.0%, 28.0%, and 42.9%, respectively. Weight z-score and apnea-hypopnea index were independently correlated with systolic blood pressure z-score, and minimal blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) was independently associated with diastolic blood pressure z-score. Overall, late childhood/adolescence (odds ratio (OR) = 1.72, 95% CI = 1.05-2.81), obesity (OR, 2.58, 95% CI = 1.58-4.22), and severe OSAS (OR = 2.38, 95% CI = 1.48-3.81) were independent predictors of pediatric hypertension. Furthermore, late childhood/adolescence (OR = 2.50, 95% CI = 1.10-5.71) and abnormal SpO2 (mean SpO2 < 95%; OR = 4.91, 95% CI = 1.81-13.27) independently predicted hypertension in obese children, and severe OSAS (OR = 2.28, 95% CI = 1.27-4.10) independently predicted hypertension in non-obese children. In conclusion, obesity, OSAS severity, and abnormal SpO2 are potentially modifiable targets to improve hypertension while treating children with OSAS.
Keywords: age; apnea-hypopnea index; blood oxygen saturation; children; hypertension; obesity; obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.