Quality of life and sleep study findings after adenotonsillectomy in children with obstructive sleep apnea.
OBJECTIVE
To assess polysomnogram (PSG) results and global and disease-specific quality of life (QOL) in children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), before and after adenotonsillectomy, and to assess the association between PSG findings and QOL.


METHODS
Prospective observational study. We performed overnight PSG using standardized techniques and assessed disease-specific and global QOL using validated instruments. Follow-up was assessed at 1 year. We compared QOL outcomes between children who underwent adenotonsillectomy and children who did not.


METHODS
A large tertiary care children's hospital.


METHODS
Children with sleep-disordered breathing who were suspected of having OSA.


METHODS
Adenotonsillectomy.


METHODS
We evaluated PSG parameters, disease-specific QOL, and global QOL.


RESULTS
We enrolled 47 children, 31 of whom met PSG criteria for OSA. Disease-specific and global QOL were not significantly different between children with OSA and children without. Global QOL was significantly worse for children with OSA than healthy children on several subscales: general health perception, behavior, and parental impact-emotional. Children who underwent adenotonsillectomy had significant improvements in QOL scores and PSG parameters (apnea-hypopnea index, P = .004; minimum saturation, P = .004). We found significantly larger QOL changes in children who underwent surgery compared with children without surgery (subscales: infections, P = .01; airway, P = .002; swallowing, P = .02; and behavior, P = .03). No strong association was identified between QOL scores and PSG parameters.


CONCLUSIONS
Children with OSA and sleep-disordered breathing have significantly worse QOL than healthy children. However, the association between PSG findings and QOL was only moderate. Children with OSA treated with adenotonsillectomy demonstrated large improvements in disease-specific and global QOL as well as PSG parameters.
Stewart
Michael G
MG
The Bobby R. Alford Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Communicative Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA. mgstew@bcm
Glaze
Daniel G
DG
Friedman
Ellen M
EM
Smith
E O'brian
EO
Bautista
Marilyn
M
D000233:Adenoidectomy; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017286:Polysomnography; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology*; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery; D014068:Tonsillectomy