Left heart ventricle function in children snoring due to adeno-tonsillar hypertrophy

Introduction
Nasopharyngeal lymphatic tissue hypertrophy is the most common cause of sleep breathing disorders in children. Obstructive sleep apnoea has a proven adverse effect on the control of hypertension and the condition of left ventricle in adults. It is not clear whether snoring can have a negative effect on the selected echocardiographic parameters of the left ventricle.

Aim of the study
The aim of the study was to evaluate the selected parameters of the left ventricular structure and function in snoring children who had undergone adenoidectomy, adenotonsillectomy, or tonsillectomy in order to restore patency of the upper respiratory tract.

Material and methods
The study group consisted of 50 snoring children with nasopharyngeal lymphatic tissue hypertrophy. The control group contained 20 children without sleep breathing disorders. The age of children was between five and 14 years. Functional and structural echocardiographic parameters were assessed before and at three and six months after ENT surgery.

Results
The echocardiographic evaluation showed that the values of selected parameters describing the left ventricular anatomy and systolic-diastolic function were normal and did not differ significantly between the study group and the control group at any stage of the study.

Conclusions
Snoring reported by parents does not affect adversely left ventricle structure or function in children. Unlike in adults, myocardial overload is not common in snoring children.