UPPER AIRWAY-RESISTANCE SYNDROME - SICK, SYMPTOMATIC BUT UNDERRECOGNIZED

Upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS) appears to be underrecognized or at least underreported in the medical literature. We have found tha t these children may suffer the same, if not more, severe consequences of sleep disordered breathing than obstructive sleep apnea patients. Seventy-five infants and children were age and gender matched from a h eterogeneous patient population in Southern California. Each patient u nderwent clinical polysomnography. Twenty-five patients were in each o f three groups. Group one patients were clinician referred to the slee p clinic and were found to be free of significant sleep pathology. Gro up two patients had UARS. Group three patients had frank obstructive s leep apnea. The three groups differed on respiratory, sleep and snorin g parameters. A heuristic is presented to help clinicians tailor their treatment approach and sleep scientists to test the model to aid in t he understanding of UARS.