Hematologic indices in pediatric sleep-disordered breathing: a retrospective case-control study.

INTRODUCTION

Pediatric obstructive sleep-disordered breathing (OSDB), commonly caused by adenotonsillar hypertrophy, ranges from primary snoring to obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and is a frequent reason for pediatric otolaryngology referral. OSDB leads to intermittent hypoxia, oxidative stress, systemic inflammation, and may activate the coagulation cascade, contributing to metabolic, cardiovascular, and neurocognitive complications. While these effects are more well-documented in adults, pediatric studies also report associations with obesity, insulin resistance, behavioral issues, and cognitive impairments. Diagnosis remains challenging due to the resource demands of polysomnography, prompting interest in alternative tools, including hematological biomarkers. In adults, markers like neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (N/L) and platelet-to-lymphocyte (P/L) ratios, as well as mean platelet volume (MPV), have shown promise; however, data in pediatric population are scarce.

OBJECTIVES

To compare hematological parameters in children with OSDB to those without OSDB.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed data from children who were indicated for primary otorhinolaryngology surgery between January and May 2024. Pre-operative hematological data from children with OSDB (cases) were compared to those without OSDB (controls).

RESULTS

166 patients (75 females, 91 males; mean age 5.4 ± 2.4 years; mean weight 22.3 ± 10.2 kg) were included. 85 children (51.2%) had OSDB. No significant differences were found between groups regarding age, sex, or weight (p > 0.05). Children with OSDB had significantly higher neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratios (N/L ratio) (OSDB: 1.71 ± 1.02 vs. controls: 1.40 ± 0.67, p = 0.026) and platelet counts (OSDB: 328,152.94 ± 69,961.30 vs. controls: 302,876.54 ± 74,327.38, p = 0.025). No significant differences were encountered regarding neutrophil count (OSDB: 4260.59 ± 1755.87 vs controls: 3736.05 ± 1717.90, p = 0.054), total leukocyte count (OSDB: 8275.88 ± 1957.93, controls: 7624.57 ± 2351.98, p = 0.054) platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (OSDB: 127.62 ± 49.50 vs controls: 114.17 ± 38.01, p = 0.052) and other hematological data, including coagulability state (p > 0.05 for prothrombin time, INR and APTT).

CONCLUSIONS

OSDB in children is associated with significantly increased N/L ratio and platelet count, suggesting a potential systemic inflammatory response. Further research is needed to determine the clinical significance of these findings.