THE USE OF ACTIGRAPHY FOR RISK STRATIFICATION IN PEDIATRIC OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA

Abstract

Objectives. (i) To determine the feasibility of using actigraphy to identify sleep interruption in children with suspected obstructive sleep apnea (OSA); (ii) to assess the utility of actigraphy for prediction of OSA severity.

Subjects and Methods. Ten healthy children aged 2 to 15 years with suspicion for OSA underwent polysomnography (PSG) with actigraphy. Statistical learning algorithms were used to (i) identify sleep-related respiratory events (awake, asleep, hypopneas and apneas), and (ii) predict OSA severity (mild, moderate and severe) utilizing actigraphy counts.

Results. No adverse events were identified. Actigraphy counts were obtained in all 10 children. Linear discriminant analysis identified 100% of patients with severe OSA. Actigraphy counts reliably identified hypopneas and awakenings but not apneas.

Conclusions. Actigraphy counts may provide effective risk stratification for pediatric OSA. Further investigations are necessary to investigate the utility of using actigraphy and pulse oximetry together to identify all respiratory events during sleep.