RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Sleep-disordered breathing: a new risk factor of suspected fatty liver disease in overweight children and adolescents? JF European Respiratory Review JO EUROPEAN RESPIRATORY REVIEW FD European Respiratory Society SP 99 OP 100 DO 10.1183/09059180.00010809 VO 17 IS 108 A1 S. L. Verhulst A1 N. Schrauwen A1 D. Haentjens A1 R. P. Rooman A1 L. Van Gaal A1 W. A. De Backer A1 K. N. Desager YR 2008 UL http://err.ersjournals.com/content/17/108/99.abstract AB Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in childhood obesity is associated with hyperinsulinemia, dyslipidemia and inflammation and by these mechanisms, SDB could contribute to development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. We, therefore, investigated if SDB was an independent predictor of suspected fatty liver disease in a clinical sample of overweight and obese children and adolescents. Retrospective case study of consecutive overweight or obese children and adolescents attending a paediatric obesity clinic. Suggestive fatty liver disease was defined as a serum alanine aminotransferase >40 U·L−1 and/or a hyperechoic liver on abdominal ultrasound. Subjects with suggestive fatty liver disease presented with higher waist circumference, more circulating peripheral leukocytes and a lower % of total sleep time with SaO2 ≥95% than their peers with a normal liver evaluation. Multiple logistic regression (stepwise forward) selected waist circumference (odds ratio = 1.05; 95% confidence interval = 1.00–1.10; p = 0.06) and SaO2nadir (odds ratio = 0.87; 95% confidence interval = 0.76–0.99; p = 0.03) as predictors of suggestive fatty liver disease. This study suggests an association between the severity of SDB and suspected fatty liver disease in a clinical sample of overweight and obese children and adolescents. We strongly recommend more and carefully designed research on the influence of SDB on the development of fatty liver disease and on the effect of treating sleep apnoea on liver function parameters.