Abstract
PurposeThe aim of the study was to analyze the characteristics of otherwise healthy children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA; OSA-I) and children with OSA and non-syndromic obesity (OSA-II) treated with long term continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or noninvasive ventilation (NIV) in 2019 in France.MethodsData were collected from a national survey on paediatric home noninvasive ventilatory support. CPAP/NIV initiation criteria and duration, age at CPAP/NIV initiation, equipment used and CPAP/NIV settings, and objective compliance were analyzed.ResultsPatients with OSA-I and OSA-II represented 6% (n=84, 71% males) and 10% (n=144, 72% males) of the national cohort, respectively. The apnea-hypopnea index (63% vs 76%), alone or combined with nocturnal gas exchange (25% vs 21%, for OSA-II and OSA-I patients respectively) were used as initiation criteria of CPAP/NIV. OSA-II patients were older at CPAP/NIV initiation (mean age 11.0±4.0 vs 6.8±4.5 years, p<0.001) and were treated for a longer time (2.3±2.6 vs 1.3±1.5 years, p=0.008) than OSA-I patients. NIV was used in 6% of OSA-I patients and 13% of OSA-II patients (p=0.142). Both groups used preferentially a nasal mask. Mean CPAP level was higher in OSA-II patients as compared to OSA-I patients (8.7±2.0 vs 7.7±2.4 cmH2O, p=0.02). Objective compliance was comparable (mean use 6.8±2.6 vs 5.9±3.0 hours/night in OSA-I and OSA-II, respectively, p=0.054).ConclusionSix and 10% of children treated with long term CPAP/NIV in France in 2019 had OSA-I and OSA-II, respectively. Both groups were preferentially treated with CPAP and were comparable except for age, with OSA-II patients being older at CPAP/NIV initiation.