title: Quality of life assessment following adenotonsillectomy for obstructive sleep apnoea in children under three years of age.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of adenotonsillectomy on the quality of life of children under three years of age with obstructive sleep apnoea. To our knowledge, there have been no previously published studies on this topic.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-nine children under three years of age and treated with adenotonsillectomy for obstructive sleep apnoea met the inclusion criteria. A quality of life questionnaire was adapted from the validated, six-item instrument developed by de Serres et al. (2000). The questionnaire assessed improvement in specific domains following adenotonsillectomy. Carers scored each domain on a point scale ranging from 'none' (0) to 'couldn't be more' (6).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The quality of life of all children improved after surgery. The greatest mean improvement scores were in the domains of care-giver concern, physical suffering and sleep disturbance. The modal questionnaire score was 4 and the overall mean questionnaire score was 4.2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adenotonsillectomy provides measurable improvements in quality of life for children under three years of age with obstructive sleep apnoea.
authors.affiliation: Academic Surgery, North West Thames Foundation School, London, UK. rishimandavia@gmail.com
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mandavia
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dhar
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kapoor
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rachmanidou
mesh_terms: D000233:Adenoidectomy; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000601:surgery*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014068:Tonsillectomy; D016896:Treatment Outcome