Establishing and countering the effects of intermittent hypoxia in pediatric obstructive sleep apnea and obesity: the Snore Enough? Snore More! project.

Childhood obesity and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are prevalent diseases associated with cardiovascular disease but no combined management. Weight loss might tackle both and OSA could promote weight loss due to more energy expenditure during sleep. However, weight loss takes time which could expose patients longer to OSA morbidity. This SESEM project will focus on hypoxia in the adipose tissue using a unique platform to study OSA in childhood obesity. Effects of intermittent (recurrent breathing pauses in OSA) on the established chronic hypoxia in the adipose tissue are unknown. A translational model of obese mice exposed to intermittent hypoxia and a clinical study on adipose tissue biopsies of adolescents +/- OSA undergoing bariatric surgery will be used to study this effect. In a next step, I will investigate the protective effects of melatonin because of possible anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective effects. Using both the animal model and biopsy study during, I hope to identify protective mechanisms of melatonin in the adipose tissue and its optimal dose modulating the hypoxia-related effects. Finally, via a randomized clinical trial in a standardized weight loss program I will prove that this unique translational platform (mouse model – human adipose tissue biopsies – clinical study) can provide crucial insights in new adjuvant treatments on top of weight loss for the obese child +/- OSA.

Keywords:CARDIOVASCULAR MORBIDITY, OBESITY, HYPOXIA, SLEEP APNEA

Disciplines:Paediatrics, Respiratory medicine, Inflammation