Rapid-onset obesity with hypothalamic dysregulation, hypoventilation, and ROHHAD is a rare condition. Little is known about sleep/wake and slow-wave activity in this condition, although the central hypothalamic dysfunction associated with autonomic dysregulation would make the occurrence of SWA deregulation most likely. Therefore to explore the sleep/wake and slow-wave activity in this condition this study was done.
The study consisted of 2 children participants that fulfilled the inclusion criteria for the study. These 2 children were with the clinical presentation of ROHHAD and their syndrome was evaluated, diagnosed, and treated. Their polysomnographic studies were compared with 4 matched children with obstructive sleep apnea and 6 controls with whom the findings were compared.
Children that were clinically diagnosed with ROHHAD exhibited significantly weaker slow-wave activity power and shallower slow-wave activity slopes during the first 2 sleep cycles compared with children with obstructive sleep apnea or controls.
The findings of this study concluded that children with ROHHAD have suppressed slow-wave activity, possibly because of hypothalamic dysregulation that may contribute to their rapid-onset obesity and excessive daytime sleepiness.
Reference: https://jcsm.aasm.org/doi/10.5664/jcsm.8678
