Introduction
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a prevalent pediatric condition characterized by repetitive upper airway obstruction during sleep, leading to disrupted sleep architecture and intermittent hypoxemia. While mild-to-moderate OSA is relatively common in children, very severe and extreme forms, defined by high apnea-hypopnea indices (AHI), are less frequent but clinically significant due to their potential for profound cardiopulmonary and neurocognitive sequelae. Identifying phenotypic and polysomnographic characteristics that distinguish these severity strata is essential for risk stratification and management prioritization.
