Neurocognitive evaluation of children with down syndrome and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

Abstract

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) treatment has been shown to improve cardiac behavioral and cognitive functions in typically developing children. Early OSAS diagnosis in children with Down syndrome (DS) would be important to prevent its complications, especially cognitive ones, but remains overlooked. The main objective of our study was to assess the cognitive function of children with DS, with and without OSAS. The second objective was to determine the impact of the therapeutic intervention on the cognitive function of children with OSAS. This study included 41 children with DS who underwent polysomnography for OSAS diagnosis and a cognitive evaluation. They were aged between 3.4 and 17.3 years and 24 (59%) were boys. Their median OAHI was 2.6 (0-31)/h of sleep, 30 (73%) were diagnosed with OSAS (15 had mild OSAS, and 15 had moderate/severe OSAS). Some scores of the Raven's colored progressive matrices were negatively correlated with the respiratory arousal index, OAHI tended to be positively correlated with Reiss behavioral problems. 24 (59%) patients received a treatment. Even if we were unable to demonstrate this formally due that only 16 children (39%) accepted a follow-up visit, some displayed improvement in their neuropsychological scores, especially those with moderate/severe OSAS after treatment. Children with DS have low intellectual abilities and more risk of developing OSAS compared to the general population, which may lead to further neurocognitive impairment. Early screening and management are important in this population to prevent any further neurocognitive delay in their development.

Keywords: Apnea; Children; Neuropsychological evaluation; Polysomnography; Sleep.