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Pulse transit time as a tool to characterize obstructive and central apneas in children

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Abstract

Purpose

The characterization of apneas during polysomnography (PSG) as obstructive or central is a key element of a sleep study. Pulse transit time (PTT) has demonstrated its potential as a noninvasive surrogate marker for inspiratory efforts. The aim of the study was to assess the ability of PTT to classify apneas as central or obstructive, as compared to respiratory inductance plethysmography (RIP) in children.

Methods

Overnight PSG with simultaneous PTT recording was performed on 11 consecutive children (mean age 8.9 years, range 1–18.2 years). The same observer scored the apneas using two blinded configurations: (1) the RIP scoring used the nasal pressure, thermistors, thoracic and abdominal movements, and pulse oximetry signals: (2) the PTT scoring used PTT in combination with all the other signals without the thoracic and abdominal movements.

Results

One hundred fourteen apneas out of a total of 520 respiratory events were analyzed. With RIP, 58 (51%) apneas were scored as obstructive and 56 (49%) as central. Using PTT, 77 (68%) of the apneas were scored as obstructive and 37 (32%) as central. When using PTT, 30 apneas scored as central by RIP were scored as obstructive. PTT was highly sensitive (81%) but poorly specific (46%) in scoring 58 apneas as obstructive. PTT was less sensitive (46%) but highly specific (81%) to score 56 apneas as central.

Conclusion

PTT may be used as an additional tool to RIP to improve the scoring of apneas as obstructive or central in children. The high percentage of artifact is a limitation of PTT.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. AP-HP, Hôpital Necker Enfants-Malades, Pediatric Noninvasive Ventilation and Sleep Unit, AP-HP, Hôpital Necker, 149 rue de Sèvres, 75015, Paris, France

    Lucie Griffon, Alessandro Amaddeo, Jorge Olmo Arroyo, Rossana Tenconi, Serena Caggiano, Sonia Khirani & Brigitte Fauroux

  2. Paris Descartes University, Paris, France

    Alessandro Amaddeo & Brigitte Fauroux

  3. Research unit INSERM U 955, team 13, Créteil, France

    Alessandro Amaddeo & Brigitte Fauroux

  4. ASV Santé, Gennevilliers, France

    Sonia Khirani

Authors
  1. Lucie Griffon
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  2. Alessandro Amaddeo
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  3. Jorge Olmo Arroyo
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  4. Rossana Tenconi
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  5. Serena Caggiano
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  6. Sonia Khirani
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  7. Brigitte Fauroux
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Brigitte Fauroux.

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Conflict of interest

All authors certify that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest (such as honoraria; educational grants; participation in speakers’ bureaus; membership, employment, consultancies, stock ownership, or other equity interest; and expert testimony or patent-licensing arrangements), or non-financial interest (such as personal or professional relationships, affiliations, knowledge or beliefs) in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript.

Financial support

No funding was received for this research. The research of Brigitte Fauroux is supported by the Association Française contre les Myopathies (AFM), Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Inserm, Université Paris Descartes, ADEP Assistance, ASV Santé, S2A and Elivie.

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Comment

This paper adds an important contribution for the clinical application of the PTT which can be used as an adjunct tool for the screening and evaluation of SDB.

Luigi Nespoli

Varese, Italy

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Griffon, L., Amaddeo, A., Olmo Arroyo, J. et al. Pulse transit time as a tool to characterize obstructive and central apneas in children. Sleep Breath 22, 311–316 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-017-1488-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-017-1488-3

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