Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0037315 (sleep apnea)
 8,000 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

A questionnaire survey of 74 parents of children with Down syndrome was conducted. Results indicated that adenotonsillectomy benefited their children by eliminating or reducing the symptoms of snoring, sleep apnea, nasal drainage, and mouth breathing. On the basis of parental responses, it appears that in the absence of nasal obstruction, adenotonsillectomy fails to improve drooling or tongue protrusion. Adenoid tissue is physiologically important to the child with Down syndrome and its removal can result in hypernasality. Two children in the survey sample who underwent adenoidectomy and/or tonsillectomy developed this complication. They were given complete speech and language testing and evaluated with cinefluoroscopy. Both structural and functional causes of hypernasality were identified. Structural abnormalities included a high-arched short hard palate and a short soft palate. Hypotonia, slowed motor learning, and oral motor developmental delay were confounding functional factors in these patients. The incidence of postoperative hypernasality found in these patients is higher than in the general population and should be an important consideration before performing an adenoidectomy.
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PMID:Risks and benefits of adenotonsillectomy for children with Down syndrome. 294 58

Patients with developmental disorders, including adolescents, comprise a large and heterogeneous group of individuals who vary in underlying diagnosis and degree of disability. The largest numbers of patients are those with cerebral palsy and with traumatic brain injury. While these conditions themselves do not directly cause airway or parenchymal lung dysfunction, consequences of neuromuscular dysfunction, especially aspiration and ineffective cough, may lead to lung damage. Poor nutritional status, impairment of airway clearance by muscular weakness or incoordination and poor pulmonary reserve (due to chest wall or spine deformity) increase the risk of significant morbidity and mortality from respiratory infections. Individuals who were premature infants or who had prolonged neonatal courses may also have residual chronic lung disease (bronchopulmonary dysplasia) contributing to their pulmonary problems. This review discusses conditions that have adverse effects on the airway and lung (drooling, feeding problems, gastroesophageal reflux, aspiration, spasticity, scoliosis) and some of the consequences of these insults (disordered airway clearance, pneumonia, sleep apnea). Also discussed are issues important to the prevention or amelioration of respiratory difficulties, including preventive care, the effects of exercise, dental hygiene, and surgical intervention.
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PMID:Respiratory problems in the adolescent with developmental delay. 1106 May 58

Vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) is a surgical option to treat drug-resistant epilepsy. A few side effects have been described, mainly as anecdotal reports. We analysed our material concerning a juvenile population to identify the most common and most important complications, discussing them with the literature. Thirty-six patients were studied (18 months-18 years old). The children were assessed before the VNS implant and 3, 6, 12, 24 and 36 months after surgery. The mean follow-up was 30 months. Four patients required a second surgery: two for changing the device 3 years after implant; one for revision of an imperfect implant; one for removing a non-functioning device. In one patient a transient vocal cord paralysis was observed. Hoarseness was the main complaint (38.8%). More infrequent was mild sleep apnoea (8.3%), sternocleidomastoid muscle spasm, drooling and snoring in one patient each. Skin scars were reported with a different frequency according to the surgical technique. At variance with the literature reports, we did not observe infections. Side effects of VNS can be minimised, but not avoided completely, with a correct technical procedure, which in turn depends upon a thorough knowledge of vagus nerve anatomy.
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PMID:Complications of vagal nerve stimulation for epilepsy in children. 1651 39