OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA SYNDROME IN OVERWEIGHT AND OBESE ADOLESCENTS: FOCUS ON COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING

Background. Overweight and obesity in children are accompanied by a wide range of comorbidities. The role of overweight in the formation of cardiovascular diseases is unquestionable, however, the impact of overweight on cognitive functioning is less obvious. Obstructive sleep apnea is a potential factor which affects neurocognitive impairment in overweight children. objective. To assess the relationship between obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSA) and cognitive functions in obese and overweight adolescents. Methods. We examined 39 adolescents (26 boys) aged 12–18 years old. Among them 17 persons were overweight, and 22 children were obese. We assessed anthropometric parameters, cognitive functions, respiratory status (cardiorespiratory monitoring) and the main indices of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. C-reactive protein level as a cardiovascular risk marker was evaluated. Results. More than half patients were found to have sleep-disordered breathing. The adolescents with OSA had higher levels of serum cholesterol, triglycerides and glucose. Abnormalities in main respiratory indices correlated with decreased volume of short-term auditory memory and slower reasoning process. At the same time the difference in neurocognitive characteristics between adolescents with and without OSA was more prominent in the younger age group (12–14 years old). conclusions. Thus, our study has shown that obstructive sleep-disordered breathing in overweight/obese adolescents is a risk factor for some neurocognitive problems.