Síndrome de apneas e hipopneas durante el sueño en niños

Sleep disordered breathing in children, especially sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (SAHS), is common, affecting 1-3% of the pediatric population. The most frequent cause is adenotonsillar hypertrophy. This disease is under-diagnosed and leads to important complications such as growth alterations, cognitive impairment and even, in severe cases, to cor pulmonale. Nocturnal polysomnography (PSG) is the technique of choice for diagnosing SAHS in children; however, in this population a series of considerations should be taken into account such as the age of the population to be studied and a suitable environment. The diagnostic criteria for SAHS in adults are not useful in children. The treatment of choice in children with SAHS is adenotonsillectomy, which is curative in 70%.