Sleep bruxism and associated physiological events in children with obstructive sleep apnea: a polysomnographic study

Study objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the physiological events associated with sleep bruxism (Sleep Bruxism [SB]; presence of mandibular movement activity) and the control window (4 minutes prior to SB event, where no mandibular movement activity was detected) in a polysomnography study in children with mild sleep apnea.

Methods: Polysomnography data from children aged 4 to 9 years old diagnosed with mild sleep apnea were analyzed by 2 trained examiners. The mandibular movement activity (bruxism event; SB) was classified into phasic and tonic. The control window was selected 4 minutes prior to the SB event. All physiological events were recorded in both bruxism and control windows, including sleep phase (N1, N2, N3, and rapid eye movement), arousal, leg movements, tachycardia, bradycardia, oxygen desaturation, and number of obstructive and central sleep apnea events. The moment in which those phenomena occurred when associated with SB was also analyzed (before/after). Data were analyzed using 95% confidence intervals (α = 5%).

Results: A total of 661 mandibular movements were analyzed and classified as tonic (n = 372) or phasic (n = 289). The mean apnea-hypopnea index was 1.99 (SD = 1.27) events/h. The frequency of leg movements, microarousal, and tachycardia was increased in SB events when compared with the control window (P < .05). There was an increase in bradycardia frequency in the control window when compared with SB (in both tonic and phasic events). The frequency of obstructive and central apnea during SB was lower when compared with the other physiological phenomena.

Conclusions: There is a difference in the physiological parameters evaluated in children with mild sleep apnea when comparing the 2 windows (SB and control). Sleep bruxism is associated with other physiological phenomena, such as leg movements, tachycardia, and microarousal. The use of a control window (where no mandibular activity was detected) was representative since it did not show activation of the sympathetic nervous system.

Citation: Bonacina CF, Soster LMSFA, Bueno C, et al. Sleep bruxism and associated physiological events in children with obstructive sleep apnea: a polysomnographic study. J Clin Sleep Med. 2024;20(4):565-573.