Impact of Obstructive Sleep Apnea on Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.

INTRODUCTION: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, and hyperinsulinemia. Pregnancy increases the risk of OSA; however, the relationship between OSA and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is unclear. We aimed (1) to evaluate OSA prevalence in GDM patients; (2) to assess the association between OSA and GDM; and (3) to determine the relationships between sleep parameters with insulin resistance (IR). METHODS: A total of 177 consecutive women (89 with GDM, 88 controls) in the third trimester of pregnancy underwent a hospital polysomnography. OSA was defined when the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was ≥5h-1. RESULTS: Patients with GDM had higher pregestational body mass index (BMI) and neck circumference than controls, but no differences in snoring or OSA-symptoms, or AHI (3.2±6.0 vs. 1.9±2.7h-1, p=.069). OSA prevalence was not significantly different in both groups. We did not identify OSA as a GDM risk factor in the crude analysis 1.65 (95%CI: 0.73-3.77; p=.232). Multiple regression showed that total sleep time (TST), TST spent with oxygen saturation<90% (T90), and maximum duration of respiratory events as independent factors related with homeostasis model assessment of IR, while T90 was the only independent determinant of quantitative insulin sensitivity check index. CONCLUSION: OSA prevalence during the third trimester of pregnancy was not significantly different in patients with GDM than without GDM, and no associations between OSA and GDM determinants were found. We identified T90 and obstructive respiratory events length positive-related to IR, while TST showed an inverse relationship with IR in pregnant women.

Vitamin D as a biomarker of health in snoring children: a familial aggregation study.

BACKGROUND: Hypovitaminosis D is a common health problem. The purpose of this study was to investigate the inter-relationship between serum 25(OH)D levels and paternal and maternal vitamin D status in a sample of snoring children. METHODS: We selected 137 participants for whom serum 25(OH)D had been measured and underwent overnight polysomnography evaluation. Serum glucose, lipids, liver enzymes, parathyroid hormone, insulin, and glycated hemoglobin were also measured. Glucose and insulin levels were used to estimate insulin resistance with the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR). RESULTS: Vitamin D insufficiency (<30 ng/mL) and deficiency (<20 ng/mL) were found in 40.9 and 17.5% of children, respectively. After adjustments for age, BMI z-score and seasonality, the odds ratio for risk of vitamin D insufficiency according to the vitamin D status of parents were: OR (95% CI): paternal insufficiency 15.1 (2.7-35.7), p = 0.002; maternal insufficiency 7.2 (2.4-22), p = 0.001. When children with vitamin D deficiency were analyzed separately, serum 25(OH)D concentration was found to be associated with the apnea-hypopnea index (r = -0.647, p = 0.009) and respiratory arousal index (r = -0.669, p = 0.034). CONCLUSIONS: Family patterns of vitamin D could be helpful for the early identification of children at risk of metabolic and/or sleep disturbances and when considering strategies to improve vitamin D status. IMPACT: Family patterns of vitamin D could be helpful for the early identification of snoring children at risk of metabolic and/or sleep disturbances. Significant associations were found between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations in children and their parents. An inverse association between 25(OH)D levels and OSA severity was detected in deficient vitamin D children. Children with insufficient and deficient vitamin D status tended to have a worse metabolic profile, so strategies are needed to improve vitamin D status.

Influence of Obstructive Sleep Apnea on Systemic Inflammation in Pregnancy.

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is prevalent in pregnancy and it is associated with adverse pregnancy-related outcomes such as gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, and low birth weight. Maternal systemic inflammation is proposed to be one of the main intermediate mechanisms. However, the effects of OSA on systemic inflammation are unknown in normal pregnancy. Methods: Women in the 3rd trimester underwent hospital polysomnography to evaluate whether OSA increases systemic inflammation in normal pregnancy and its potential association with adverse fetal outcomes. OSA was defined as an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) of ≥ 5 h-1. Plasma cytokines levels (TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10) were determined by multiple immunoassays. Results: We included 11 patients with OSA and 22 women with AHI < 5 h-1, who were homogeneous in age, and body mass index (BMI). Women with OSA had significant higher levels of TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-8, and IL-10. We found significant correlations between AHI during REM and TNF-α (r = 0.40), IL-1ß (r = 0.36), IL-6 (r = 0.52), IL-8 (r = 0.43), between obstructive apnea index and TNF-α (r = 0.46) and between AHI and IL-1ß (r = 0.43). We also found that CT90% was related to IL-8 (r = 0.37). There were no significant differences in neonatal characteristics; however, we found inverse correlations between TNF-α and IL-8 with birth weight (both r = -0.48), while IL-8 showed a significant inverse relationship with neonatal gestational age (r = -0.48). Conclusions: OSA in our normal pregnancy population was associated with higher systemic inflammation, which was related to obstructive events, especially during REM sleep. Moreover, systemic inflammation was inversely correlated with neonatal birth weight and age.

Long-term outcomes of necrotizing pneumonia.

INTRODUCTION: Necrotizing pneumonia (NP) is a serious complication of community-acquired pneumonia characterised by the destruction of normal lung parenchyma. No study has evaluated the repercussions of the lung damage in the years following the episode. The aim of this study was to assess the long-term impact on lung function and respiratory symptoms in children hospitalised due to NP. METHODS: We analysed outcomes in children given a diagnosis of NP between January 2003 and April 2016. We selected patients aged more than 4 years capable of undergoing a lung function test, that had been followed up for at least 2 years. The patients completed a respiratory questionnaire and underwent a lung function test. RESULTS: We included a total of 24 patients (12 male). The median age at the time of diagnosis was 28 months, the median length of stay was 15 days, and 18 patients required pleural drainage. The mean duration of follow-up after NP was 8.75 years. During the evaluation, none of the patients exhibited asthma, cough, or exercise-induced symptoms. Three children had a second episode of pneumonia that did not require hospital admission. The spirometry results were the following (given as mean±standard deviation): FEV1 Z-score, -0.47±0.65; FVC Z-score, -0.56±0.73; and FEV1/FVC Z-score, 0.19±0.98. We found no evidence of obstructive pulmonary disease or restrictive patterns. CONCLUSIONS: The long-term outcomes of paediatric NP are good. However, patients exhibited mildly impaired lung function several years after the episode. We recommend follow-up of these patients due to potential impairments in lung function in adulthood.

Resultados a largo plazo de la neumonía necrotizante / Long-term outcomes of necrotizing pneumonia

Introducción: La neumonía necrotizante (NN) es una complicación grave de la neumonía adquirida en la comunidad caracterizada por la destrucción del parénquima pulmonar normal. Ningún estudio ha evaluado las consecuencias de este daño pulmonar en los años posteriores al episodio. El objetivo es investigar el impacto a largo plazo sobre la función pulmonar y los síntomas respiratorios en niños ingresados por NN.Métodos: Seguimiento de niños diagnosticados de NN desde enero-2003 hasta abril-2016. Se seleccionó a los mayores de 4años, capaces de realizar una función pulmonar, y un seguimiento durante más de 2años. Los pacientes recibieron un cuestionario respiratorio y completaron una prueba de función pulmonar.Resultados: Se incluyeron 24 pacientes (12 hombres). La edad mediana en el momento del diagnóstico fue de 26 meses, 15 días de hospitalización y 18 pacientes necesitaron drenaje pleural. Los pacientes fueron seguidos durante un promedio de 8,75años después de la NN. Durante la evaluación, ningún paciente tuvo asma, tos o sintomatología inducida por el ejercicio. Tres niños sufrieron una segunda neumonía, que no requirió hospitalización. Los resultados de la espirometría fueron (media±desviación estándar): Z-score FEV1 −0,47 ±0,65, Z-score FVC −0,56±0,73, Z-score FEV1/FVC 0,19±0,98. No hubo evidencia de enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva o patrones restrictivos.Conclusiones: Los resultados a largo plazo de la NN pediátrica son buenos. Sin embargo, los pacientes tienen una función pulmonar ligeramente disminuida varios años después del episodio. Es aconsejable hacer un seguimiento de estos pacientes debido a la posible disminución de la función pulmonar en edad adulta. (AU)

Introduction: Necrotizing pneumonia (NP) is a serious complication of community-acquired pneumonia characterised by the destruction of normal lung parenchyma. No study has evaluated the repercussions of the lung damage in the years following the episode. The aim of this study was to assess the long-term impact on lung function and respiratory symptoms in children hospitalised due to NP.Methods: We analysed outcomes in children given a diagnosis of NP between January 2003 and April 2016. We selected patients aged more than 4 years capable of undergoing a lung function test, that had been followed up for at least 2 years. The patients completed a respiratory questionnaire and underwent a lung function test.Results: We included a total of 24 patients (12 male). The median age at the time of diagnosis was 28 months, the median length of stay was 15 days, and 18 patients required pleural drainage. The mean duration of follow-up after NP was 8.75 years. During the evaluation, none of the patients exhibited asthma, cough, or exercise-induced symptoms. Three children had a second episode of pneumonia that did not require hospital admission. The spirometry results were the following (given as mean ± standard deviation): FEV1 z-score, −0.47±0.65; FVC z-score, −0.56±0.73; and FEV1/FVC z-score, 0.19±0.98. We found no evidence of obstructive pulmonary disease or restrictive patterns.Conclusions: The long-term outcomes of paediatric NP are good. However, patients exhibited mildly impaired lung function several years after the episode. We recommend follow-up of these patients due to potential impairments in lung function in adulthood. (AU)

High flow nasal cannula versus standard low flow nasal oxygen during flexible bronchoscopy in children: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Hypoxemia is the most frequent complication of fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FB) in children. Guidelines recommend oxygen supplementation and conventional nasal prongs (NC) are used for this purpose. The aim of this study was to evaluate if the use of high-flow nasal cannula therapy (HFNC) in children undergoing FB result in a lower incidence of hypoxemia than standard oxygen administration. METHODS: Patients aged 1 month-16 years undergoing elective FB were included in a prospective randomized controlled, nonblinded, single-center clinical trial and randomly assigned to receive oxygen via NC or HFNC. Patients' baseline characteristics were recorded pre-bronchoscopy. The primary outcome was oxygen desaturation during the procedure defined as saturation less than 94%. RESULTS: An intention to treat analysis for 53 patients receiving NC and 51 receiving HFNC, showed HFNC patients were less likely to have hypoxemia than were NC patients (p = .011), with an absolute risk reduction of 0.27 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.08-0.45) and a number needed to treat of 3.75 (95% CI: 2.22-12.04). Moderate hypoxemia (SpO2 ≥ 90% and <94%, and <60 s) was observed significantly less often with HFNC than with NC (p = .012). Severe hypoxemia (SpO2 < 90% and >30 s) was not different between groups. Patients undergoing bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) presented fewer desaturations with HFNC (p = .0003). CONCLUSIONS: HFNC offers optimized oxygenation during elective FB with a significant reduction in desaturations and can be considered for oxygen administration, especially when BAL is performed.

Impact of Obstructive Sleep Apnea on Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.

INTRODUCTION: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, and hyperinsulinemia. Pregnancy increases the risk of OSA; however, the relationship between OSA and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is unclear. We aimed (1) to evaluate OSA prevalence in GDM patients; (2) to assess the association between OSA and GDM; and (3) to determine the relationships between sleep parameters with insulin resistance (IR). METHODS: A total of 177 consecutive women (89 with GDM, 88 controls) in the third trimester of pregnancy underwent a hospital polysomnography. OSA was defined when the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was ≥5h-1. RESULTS: Patients with GDM had higher pregestational body mass index (BMI) and neck circumference than controls, but no differences in snoring or OSA-symptoms, or AHI (3.2±6.0 vs. 1.9±2.7h-1, p=.069). OSA prevalence was not significantly different in both groups. We did not identify OSA as a GDM risk factor in the crude analysis 1.65 (95%CI: 0.73-3.77; p=.232). Multiple regression showed that total sleep time (TST), TST spent with oxygen saturation<90% (T90), and maximum duration of respiratory events as independent factors related with homeostasis model assessment of IR, while T90 was the only independent determinant of quantitative insulin sensitivity check index. CONCLUSION: OSA prevalence during the third trimester of pregnancy was not significantly different in patients with GDM than without GDM, and no associations between OSA and GDM determinants were found. We identified T90 and obstructive respiratory events length positive-related to IR, while TST showed an inverse relationship with IR in pregnant women.

Polysomnographic Characteristics of Snoring Children: A Familial Study of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Available evidence suggests a familial basis for OSA. The aim of the present study was to assess the potential influences of parental OSA in predicting the diagnosis and severity of OSA in snoring children. METHODS: Observational study, we prospectively enrolled 84 children and their parents. A complete nocturnal polysomnography was performed. Children were categorized into 3 severity groups according to the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI<1h-1, AHI≥1h-1 to AHI<5h-1, and AHI≥5h-1). Adults were grouped according two criteria (AHI≥5h-1 and ≥10h-1). RESULTS: There were no significant differences in age, gender, BMI and BMI z-score among groups. Among the children, 54.7% had an AHI≥1h-1 and 21.4% had an AHI≥5h-1. Overall, we observed that 60.7% of fathers and 23.8% of mothers of our population had OSA (AHI≥5h-1). The prevalence of fathers with OSA increases with the children's severity (83% in the group of children with moderate-severe OSA, p=0.035). The odds of having moderate-severe pediatric OSA (AHI≥5h-1) were more than 4 times higher among children with a father with AHI≥5h-1 (OR: 4.92, 95% CI: 1.27-19.06; p=0.021). There was no evidence of any maternal influence on OSA severity among the children studied. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest a high prevalence of OSA among the family members studied with an increased association of childhood OSA with paternal OSA. Prediction of OSA risk among children can be significantly improved by adding data on paternal OSA status.

Polysomnographic Characteristics of Snoring Children: A Familial Study of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome / Características polisomnográficas de los niños que roncan: un estudio familiar del síndrome de apnea obstructiva del sueño

Background and objectives: Available evidence suggests a familial basis for OSA. The aim of the present study was to assess the potential influences of parental OSA in predicting the diagnosis and severity of OSA in snoring children.Methods: Observational study, we prospectively enrolled 84 children and their parents. A complete nocturnal polysomnography was performed. Children were categorized into 3 severity groups according to the apnea–hypopnea index (AHI<1h−1, AHI≥1h−1 to AHI<5h−1, and AHI≥5h−1). Adults were grouped according two criteria (AHI≥5h−1 and ≥10h−1).Results: There were no significant differences in age, gender, BMI and BMI z-score among groups. Among the children, 54.7% had an AHI≥1h−1 and 21.4% had an AHI≥5h−1. Overall, we observed that 60.7% of fathers and 23.8% of mothers of our population had OSA (AHI≥5h−1). The prevalence of fathers with OSA increases with the children's severity (83% in the group of children with moderate-severe OSA, p=0.035). The odds of having moderate-severe pediatric OSA (AHI≥5h−1) were more than 4 times higher among children with a father with AHI≥5h−1 (OR: 4.92, 95% CI: 1.27–19.06; p=0.021). There was no evidence of any maternal influence on OSA severity among the children studied.Conclusions: Our findings suggest a high prevalence of OSA among the family members studied with an increased association of childhood OSA with paternal OSA. Prediction of OSA risk among children can be significantly improved by adding data on paternal OSA status. (AU)

Contexto y objetivos: La evidencia disponible sugiere una base familiar para la AOS. El objetivo del presente estudio fue evaluar las posibles influencias de la AOS de los padres para predecir el diagnóstico y la gravedad de la AOS en los niños que roncan.Métodos: Estudio observacional en el que incluimos prospectivamente a 84 niños y sus padres. Se realizó una polisomnografía nocturna completa. Los niños se clasificaron en 3 grupos de gravedad según el índice de apnea-hipopnea (IAH <1h−1, IAH ≥1h−1 a IAH <5h−1y IAH ≥5h−1). Los adultos se agruparon según dos criterios (IAH ≥5 h-1 y ≥10 h-1).Resultados: No había diferencias significativas en la edad, el sexo, el IMC y la puntuación z del IMC entre los grupos. Entre los niños, el 54,7% tenía un IAH ≥1h−1 y el 21,4% tenía un IAH ≥5h−1. En general, observamos que el 60,7% de los padres y el 23,8% de las madres de nuestra población tenían AOS (IAH ≥5h−1). La prevalencia de padres con AOS aumenta con la gravedad de la AOS en los niños (83% en el grupo de niños con AOS moderada-grave, p=0,035). La probabilidad de tener AOS pediátrica moderada-grave (IAH ≥5h−1) fue más de 4 veces mayor en los niños con un padre con IAH≥5h−1 (OR: 4,92, IC 95%: 1,27-19,06; p=0,021). No hubo evidencia de que hubiera alguna influencia materna en la gravedad de la AOS en los niños estudiados.Conclusiones: Nuestros hallazgos sugieren una alta prevalencia de AOS entre los miembros de la familia estudiados con una mayor asociación de la AOS infantil con la AOS paterna. La predicción del riesgo de AOS entre los niños puede mejorarse significativamente al incluir información sobre el estado de la AOS paterna. (AU)

The Impact of the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic on the Emergency Department and Management of the Pediatric Asthmatic Patient.

INTRODUCTION: Asthma exacerbation is among the commonest causes for pediatric emergency room visits, and respiratory viruses are frequent triggers of such exacerbations. Few studies have evaluated the consequences of the novel human coronavirus that causes the illness currently known as COVID-19, in the pediatric population. PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown measures on the emergency department in the pediatric asthmatic patient. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective observational study evaluated pediatric patients treated at the Pediatric Emergency Service for wheezing episodes. Changes in the number and characteristics of these patients over the same period of 2019 as compared to 2020 during the month following the alarm declaration (March 14 to April 15) were evaluated. RESULTS: In total, data of 30 asthma patients managed in the period after the declaration of the coronavirus pandemic and of 158 asthma patients managed in the pre-COVID-19 period were included. In 2020, patient visits decreased by 82% in 2019. No statistically significant differences among age, sex, oxygen saturation, fever status, or number of severe bronchospasm episodes were found. Nebulized medication usage was reduced significantly since the alarm declaration. No significant increase in requests for complementary testing in the COVID-19 period was found. No patient requiring hospital admission was found to be PCR SARS-CoV-2 positive. Median time spent in the emergency department decreased from 180 minutes in 2019 to 85 minutes in the COVID-19 era. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing lockdown measures have led to an extraordinary reduction in emergency visits to the pediatric service. The ongoing pandemic has also led to improvements in the approach to asthma exacerbations and wheezing, to reduce the risk of exposure to the virus, such as increased use of pressurized metered dose inhaler and decreased time in the Emergency Department.

Utility of fiberoptic bronchoscopy for difficult airway in neonates.

BACKGROUND: Newborns diagnosed with craniofacial malformations or laryngeal and tracheal alterations may often need advanced airway-management for airway stabilization. Although fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FB) is currently the gold standard for difficult airway management, there is a scarcity of published data on the application of FB in newborns for intubation and controlled extubation (CE). OBJECTIVES: This study describes a case series where FB is used for intubation and/or extubation to manage newborns with difficult airway in either urgent procedures or scheduled ones. METHODS: All FB were carried out on newborns with difficult airway in the neonatal unit over the period January 2005 to December 2018. Patient characteristics were collected from clinical reports, description of the technique from the procedure report. RESULTS: 66 FBs were performed from a total of 40 newborns, a median age of 25 days and a weight of 3217 g. Eighteen were ex-premature babies (45%). Six (15%) had craniocervical malformations. 17 (25.7%) FBs were performed for tracheal intubation (TI), 6 in emergency situations, 34 (51.5%) for CE, and 15 (22.7%) for precise tube placement. Clearing of the airway was achieved in all cases and thus there were no failed TIs. In 32 cases (94.1%), CE was successfully performed. In 6 cases, withdrawal of the ET midprocedure was decided to postpone as 4 of these required extra treatment prior to renewed extubation attempt and 2 needed a tracheostomy. 2 patients required subsequent FB reintubation due to airway pathology. Complications during the procedure were mild desaturations (3%) and deep desaturations (7.5%). CONCLUSIONS: FB is very safe and highly useful when performing intubation in neonates with difficult airway but is essential during extubation to avoid any risk of failure with a potentially fatal outcome. Neonatal units of tertiary hospitals should provide equipment and training to manage these neonates. WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN?: A failed intubation or extubation can lead to cardiac arrest and anoxic brain damage and/or to death in a neonate. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy is recommended as the safest tool for neonates with difficult airway. However, there is little concrete data published in the current literature to support the recommendations. WHAT IS NEW: Fiberoptic bronchoscopy is an essential tool to avoid the risk of a failed extubation in neonates with difficult airway.

[Long-term outcomes of necrotizing pneumonia]. / Resultados a largo plazo de la neumonía necrotizante.

INTRODUCTION: Necrotizing pneumonia (NP) is a serious complication of community-acquired pneumonia characterised by the destruction of normal lung parenchyma. No study has evaluated the repercussions of the lung damage in the years following the episode. The aim of this study was to assess the long-term impact on lung function and respiratory symptoms in children hospitalised due to NP. METHODS: We analysed outcomes in children given a diagnosis of NP between January 2003 and April 2016. We selected patients aged more than 4 years capable of undergoing a lung function test, that had been followed up for at least 2 years. The patients completed a respiratory questionnaire and underwent a lung function test. RESULTS: We included a total of 24 patients (12 male). The median age at the time of diagnosis was 28 months, the median length of stay was 15 days, and 18 patients required pleural drainage. The mean duration of follow-up after NP was 8.75 years. During the evaluation, none of the patients exhibited asthma, cough, or exercise-induced symptoms. Three children had a second episode of pneumonia that did not require hospital admission. The spirometry results were the following (given as mean ± standard deviation): FEV1 z-score, -0.47±0.65; FVC z-score, -0.56±0.73; and FEV1/FVC z-score, 0.19±0.98. We found no evidence of obstructive pulmonary disease or restrictive patterns. CONCLUSIONS: The long-term outcomes of paediatric NP are good. However, patients exhibited mildly impaired lung function several years after the episode. We recommend follow-up of these patients due to potential impairments in lung function in adulthood.

Prothrombotic state in children with obstructive sleep apnea.

OBJECTIVE: Increased blood coagulation might be one important mechanism linking obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) with cardiovascular diseases. We tested the association between several hemostatic parameters and sleep breathing-related variables in a representative pediatric population with a clinical suspicion of OSA. METHODS: Polysomnography was performed in 152 snoring children to diagnose OSA. Anthropometric and clinical data were registered and venous blood samples were collected for the measurement of platelet count, plateletcrit, platelet distribution width (PDW), mean platelet volume (MPV), prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), fibrinogen and C-reactive protein. RESULTS: Children with OSA had significantly higher platelet count, plateletcrit and PDW compared with those without OSA. After controlling for the anthropometric characteristics (age, gender, body mass index (BMI) z-score), platelet count negatively correlated with minimum SaO2 while the plateletcrit correlated with time with SaO2 <90% and MPV correlated with apnea-hypopnea index. PT and PT international normalized ratio correlated with mean SaO2 and aPTT correlated with the oxygen desaturation index. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that different OSA-related effects may be factors contributing to an enhanced coagulability in pediatric OSA. Measures reflecting apnea severity and disrupted sleep were associated with clotting factor changes independent of covariates affecting hemostatic function.

Safe use of systemic bevacizumab for respiratory recurrent papillomatosis in two children.

Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis can be a devastating condition for a child, with severe consequences. Currently, there is no proven successful medical treatment. We describe the use of systemic bevacizumab to treat two children affected by aggressive recurrent respiratory papillomatosis. Respiratory symptoms and quality of life improved dramatically in both patients, without observing any toxicity. The only complication was mild proteinuria. Systemic bevacizumab is a promising adjuvant treatment in aggressive recurrent respiratory papillomatosis in children. It is effective and well tolerated. Further studies are needed to establish the optimal dosing frequency and duration of therapy. Laryngoscope, 129:1001-1004, 2019.

Circulating branched-chain amino acids in children with obstructive sleep apnea.

INTRODUCTION: The effects of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) on the metabolic system are not well understood, especially in children. Recent studies have provided evidence of the modulation of insulin action by branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and suggested novel mechanistic relationships between glucose and amino acid metabolic pathways. We hypothesized that plasma BCAA levels may serve as biomarkers of insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction in children with OSA. METHODS: A polysomnography was conducted for the diagnosis of OSA in 90 snoring children, in a tertiary hospital. Anthropometric and clinical data were measured and venous blood samples were collected for the measurement of plasma glucose, insulin, HbA1c, and amino acids. RESULTS: Children with OSA had significantly higher levels of BCAAs (leucine, isoleucine, and total BCAAs) compared with those without OSA (P = 0.024). A positive significant correlation was observed between insulin levels and both leucine and isoleucine (r = 0.232; P < 0.05). On multivariate regression analyses, the presence of OSA was significantly associated with leucine, isoleucine, and total BCAA concentrations (P = 0.028), whereas the arousal index was associated with leucine, valine, and total BCAA levels (P = 0.037). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of OSA and sleep fragmentation may induce changes in branched-chain amino acid metabolism in snoring children, independently of obesity. These data may suggest a new mechanism linking OSA and glucose homeostasis.

Hypoxia Challenge Testing in Neonates for Fitness to Fly.

BACKGROUND: Preflight hypoxia challenge testing (HCT) in a body plethysmograph has previously been done only on infants >3 months of corrected gestational age (CGA). This study aims to determine the earliest fit-to-fly age by testing neonates <1 week old. METHODS: A prospective observational study was carried out on 3 groups of infants: healthy term infants ≤7 days old, preterm infants (≥34 weeks CGA) 2 to 3 days before discharge, and preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). HCT was conducted using a body plethysmograph with a 15% fraction of inspired oxygen. The oxygen saturation (Spo2) test fail point was <85%. RESULTS: Twenty-four term (mean CGA 40 weeks), 62 preterm (37 weeks), and 23 preterm with BPD (39.5 weeks) infants were tested. One term infant (4.2%) and 12 preterm infants without BPD (19.4%) failed. Sixteen (69.3%) preterm infants with BPD failed (P < .001), with a median drop in Spo2 of 16%. At 39 weeks CGA, neither preterm infants without BPD nor term infants had an Spo2 <85%. However, 7 of 12 term infants with BPD failed the HCT. CONCLUSIONS: Term and preterm infants without BPD born at >39 weeks CGA do not appear to be likely to desaturate during a preflight HCT and so can be deemed fit to fly according to current British Thoracic Society Guidelines.

Exhaled Nitric Oxide in Acute Phase of Bronchiolitis and Its Relation with Episodes of Subsequent Wheezing in Children of Preschool Age.

BACKGROUND: Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) levels are increased in children with asthma and in infants with recurrent wheezing, but the role of FENO in the acute phase of bronchiolitis is still not defined. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate FENO values in the acute phase of bronchiolitis, compare them with healthy infants, and relate those values with the appearance of other wheezing episodes. METHODS: FENO values were determined in infants between 2 months and 2 years affected with RVS bronchiolitis by offline method. The FENO values collected in the acute phase were related with the respiratory clinical symptoms presented in the 2 years following the episode. RESULTS: A total of 30 patients were recruited: 15 in the bronchiolitis group and 15 in the control group. The average of the FENO values in the acute phase was 18.74 ppb (range 2-88) in the bronchiolitis group, and 8.75 ppb (range 2-24) in the control group. However, these results showed no significant statistical differences (p=0.176). Nevertheless, we found a positive correlation between the FENO values and the clinical score (Downes) of the bronchiolitis episode (p=0.023). In infants that presented other wheezing episodes in the 2 years after, the average of FENO in the acute phase of the first episode was 23.1 ppb (average of 10.25 ppb) versus 8.4 ppb (average 5.4 ppb) in the group of patients with no other episodes. The comparison of averages has no statistical significance. CONCLUSION: We found no differences in FENO between infants with bronchiolitis and healthy ones. The FENO values in the acute phase seems to be related to the severity of the disease but do not predict the appearance of wheezing episodes in the following 2 years.