Alternatives To Polysomnography For Children With Suspected Obstructive Sleep Apnoea.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$357,613.00
Summary
Snoring is the cardinal symptom of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), a major health issue in childhood with significant impacts on cognition, behaviour and cardiovascular health. Approximately 35% of children snore but only about 10% of those have OSA. Defining OSA in a snoring child requires polysomnography, a technically challenging and expensive test. In this study we will examine a number of simple tests for their predictive power for OSA, developing a tool that will enable clinicians to diagn ....Snoring is the cardinal symptom of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), a major health issue in childhood with significant impacts on cognition, behaviour and cardiovascular health. Approximately 35% of children snore but only about 10% of those have OSA. Defining OSA in a snoring child requires polysomnography, a technically challenging and expensive test. In this study we will examine a number of simple tests for their predictive power for OSA, developing a tool that will enable clinicians to diagnose OSA without the need for polysomnography.Read moreRead less
Contribution Of Systemic Inflammatory Response To Brain Injury In Growth Restricted Newborns
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$363,388.00
Summary
Growth restriction during pregnancy can damage the baby’s brain and result in poor outcomes such as learning and attention difficulties and cerebral palsy. Currently there is no treatment available to prevent brain injury in these babies. This study will explore the role of inflammation and brain injury in the growth restricted baby. We will also examine whether a readily available and safe anti-inflammatory treatment can reduce or prevent brain injury following growth restriction.
Impact Of Sleep Disordered Breathing On Cardiovascular, Behavioural And Neurocognitive Function In Preschool Children
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$425,703.00
Summary
Studies in school age children have shown that disruption to normal sleep patterns resulting from sleep disordered breathing (SDB) has severe consequences for both the cardiovascular system and neurocognition. To date there have been limited investigations of the effects of SDB in pre-school children despite the knowledge that disruptions to breathing during sleep are maximal at this age and the central nervous system which is immature and developing at this time, is most vulnerable to injury.
Cardiovascular, Neurophysiological And Neurocognitive Assessments To Define Sleep Disordered Breathing In Children
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$324,008.00
Summary
Disruptions to breathing during sleep (snoring), known as sleep disordered breathing occurs in up to 27% of children and forms a continuum of symptoms ranging from mild to severe. It has previously been thought that only severe disruptions to breathing, as occurs in obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), were of clinical significance requiring intervention, however recent studies have shown that even snoring with no currently used signs of altered blood oxygenation levels or sleep disruption can have a ....Disruptions to breathing during sleep (snoring), known as sleep disordered breathing occurs in up to 27% of children and forms a continuum of symptoms ranging from mild to severe. It has previously been thought that only severe disruptions to breathing, as occurs in obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), were of clinical significance requiring intervention, however recent studies have shown that even snoring with no currently used signs of altered blood oxygenation levels or sleep disruption can have a significant impact on daytime functioning and school performance. It is also known that cardiovascular disease is a long-term consequence of untreated sleep disordered breathing in adults, however the long-term effects on the cardiovascular system in children are unknown. This study will examine both the neurocognitive and cardiovascular effects of a range of severities of sleep disordered breathing in children and will identify new more sensitive markers of sleep disruption in order to predict neurocognitive dysfunction. In order to address this most important issue, this project will combine the expertise of scientists and clinicians in the fields of paediatric sleep, cardiovascular control and neuropsychological assessment from Monash and Melbourne Universities, and the Monash Medical Centre and Royal Children's Hospital.Read moreRead less
DOES TREATMENT REVERSE THE NEUROCOGNITIVE AND CARDIOVASCULAR SEQUELAE OF SLEEP DISORDERED BREATHING IN CHILDREN?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$519,826.00
Summary
Studies in children have shown that disruption to normal sleep patterns resulting from sleep disordered breathing (SDB) has severe consequences for both the cardiovascular system and neurocognition. To date there have been no studies in children to investigate whether treatment of SDB with adenotonsillectomy, which has been shown to reduce sleep fragmentation and neurocognition, also reduces blood pressure.
What Role Do Cerebral Hypoxia And Sleep Disruption Play In The Neurocognitive Effects Of Paediatric Sleep Disordered Breathing?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$558,957.00
Summary
Sleep disordered breathing (SDB) describes a spectrum of disorders caused by obstruction of the upper airway during sleep from simple primary snoring (PS) to obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). Findings of our recently studies have provided strong evidence that all levels of SDB severity including PS are associated with neurocognitive and behavioural deficits. In this study we will investigate the mechanisms of which underpin these deficits.
The Effect Of Adenotonsillectomy On Neurocognitive Functioning In Children With Upper Airway Obstruction
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$185,850.00
Summary
Upper airway obstruction during sleep affects up to 3% of all children and is very frequently unrecognised. If severe it causes growth failure, developmental delay and heart failure. However, there is little information on the effects of less severe degrees of upper airway obstruction in children but recent work suggests that reduced academic performance may also be present in children with relatively mild degrees of upper airway obstruction. In particular, the areas most affected appear to be i ....Upper airway obstruction during sleep affects up to 3% of all children and is very frequently unrecognised. If severe it causes growth failure, developmental delay and heart failure. However, there is little information on the effects of less severe degrees of upper airway obstruction in children but recent work suggests that reduced academic performance may also be present in children with relatively mild degrees of upper airway obstruction. In particular, the areas most affected appear to be intelligence, memory, behaviour and attentional capacity . Currently it is unclear whether these deficits are due to sleep disruption or reduced nocturnal oxygen levels. The treatment of upper airway obstruction is the removal of adenoids and tonsils, however, it is unknown whether or not this improves the child's intellectual capacity. This study aims to be one of the first to critically evaluate the impact of upper airway obstruction during sleep on children's intelligence, memory, behaviour and attentional capacity, and the improvements wrought by the removal of the child's tonsils and adenoids.Read moreRead less
Reducing Morbidities In Preterm Growth Restricted Neonates.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$687,214.00
Summary
Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is a serious complication of pregnancy and occurs when fetal growth is abnormal, resulting in a fetus that is smaller than it should be for its given gestational age. IUGR babies are at much greater risk of many short and long-term adverse outcomes. This study investigates the role that adverse cardiovascular development plays in the progression of lung, heart and brain disease in preterm IUGR newborns.
Necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) is a devastating bowel condition afflicting almost 1 in 10 of very preterm babies. About a third of babies with NEC do not survive. Currently, there is no cure. We propose the use of stem-like cells from the human placenta as a targeted therapy for NEC, working by minimising gut damage and accelerating gut repair.
Does Adenotonsillectomy Change Vascular Function In Children With Sleep Breathing Disorders?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$522,105.00
Summary
Sleep breathing disorders affect 10% of all children and when severe, obstruction in the upper airways causes serious deficits in growth, development, brain function and heart health. But even mild snoring (without obstruction) may also cause poor health in the arteries that supply blood to the brain and heart, as well as the smaller arteries in the arms and legs. In both adults and children with conditions like diabetes and obesity, poor blood vessel health has been shown to greatly increase th ....Sleep breathing disorders affect 10% of all children and when severe, obstruction in the upper airways causes serious deficits in growth, development, brain function and heart health. But even mild snoring (without obstruction) may also cause poor health in the arteries that supply blood to the brain and heart, as well as the smaller arteries in the arms and legs. In both adults and children with conditions like diabetes and obesity, poor blood vessel health has been shown to greatly increase the future risk of heart attacks, angina and strokes. Children with severe sleep breathing disorders (such as sleep apnoea syndrome) are currently treated by removal of the tonsils and adenoids, which typically resolves snoring and improves sleep, but it is not yet known whether there are any benefits for blood vessel health. The earliest signs of blood vessel disease in children are abnormal function of the lining of the blood vessels (endothelial dysfunction) and thickening of the lining of blood vessels (intima media thickness). They precede the adult diseases of atherosclerosis - which causes heart attacks and strokes, and diabetic kidney and eye disease. These changes can be measured accurately and non-invasively using ultrasound imaging of arteries in the neck and arm. Our primary aim is to assess whether changes in blood vessel health occur in children with sleep breathing disorders across the range of severity, with a secondary aim to measure any changes in cardiovascular control during both sleep (when snoring occurs). Most importantly, by assessing children before and after surgery, we will be able to see for the first time whether treatment of childhood snoring improves blood vessel health. This study may have major implications for the clinical management of snoring children, who may require treatment at an earlier age to prevent poor blood vessel health and an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases later in life.Read moreRead less