SLEEP-DISORDERED BREATHING AND ITS EFFECTS ON SLEEP IN INFANTS

Sleep apnea has been recorded in many infants, but little data exist c oncerning the amount and range of apnea in infants. We studied 49 infa nts referred to the sleep disorders unit. Single polysomnographic stud ies were performed on each infant. We examined the amount of apnea, pr esence and amount of upper airway obstruction and the sleeping pattern in each infant. Central apnea was common to all infants and varied in amount. Upper airway obstruction, recorded as mixed apnea, was found in 36 infants. Twenty of these infants had only occasional mixed apnea (<2 apneas/hour), whereas 16 infants displayed a higher amount of obs truction. All infants were separated into two groups according to amou nt of apnea and obstruction. Sixteen infants with obstruction plus 3 i nfants with a high amount of central apnea represented group I. The re maining 30 infants represented group II. Marked differences in the sle eping pattern were found when the groups of infants were separated. In fants from group I had significantly less rapid eye movement (REM) sle ep than infants from group II. We conclude that sleep-disordered breat hing in infants is associated with disruptions in sleep.