OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA AMONG OBESE TEENS AND PRETEENS

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Occurring in 1-3% of the general population, Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) has been associated with daytime cognitive and behavioral deficits ("neurobehavioral deficits") in young children and in older adults. Little is known about the effect of OSA in adolescents, who differ from these groups in neurodevelopment, sleep behaviors and social context. Adolescents are also unique from a treatment perspective, because OSA treatment for them typically requires patient adherence, yet they often display poor adherence to medical directives. Within this population, obesity is a major risk factor for OSA. Even so, little is known about the nature or reversibility of the neurobehavioral deficits associated with OSA among obese teens and preteens. This study will test the hypothesis that OSA among obese teens and preteens is associated with neurobehavioral morbidity. This will be accomplished via examination of data from 200 obese participants, each of whom will undergo comprehensive evaluations of sleep and neurobehavioral functioning. A comparison group of 20-25 lean adolescents will also be assessed. The study will further determine the immediate and long-term neurobehavioral effect of a non-surgical airway treatment, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), on obese adolescents with OSA. A subgroup of obese adolescents with OSA will be followed as they receive clinical CPAP treatment, then compared to a matched subgroup without OSA who are not receiving an airway treatment. Upon completion, the study will clarify the relationships between sleep and neurobehavioral functioning in an understudied high-risk group, and to inform detection and treatment of OSA in this population.