A new clinical scoring system for adenoid hypertrophy in children.
BACKGROUND
Chronic nasal obstruction due to adenoid hypertrophy is a very common disorder. Although the clinical assessment of adenoid hypertrophy is essential, its real value in young children is difficult to evaluate. The purpose of this prospective study was to validate a simple clinical score to predict the severity of adenoid obstruction and to evaluate the relationship between this method of clinical scoring with radiography and nasopharyngeal endoscopy.


METHODS
Ninety symptomatic children were enrolled into this study. The clinical score included difficulty of breathing during sleep, apnea, and snoring. We investigated the relationship between clinical scoring, nasal endoscopy, and radiographic findings.


RESULTS
The clinical score correlated very well with endoscopic findings (P<0.000), but the correlation between the clinical score and radiologic findings (P>0.05) and endoscopic findings and imaging (P>0.05) was weak.


CONCLUSIONS
Clinical findings could be used to select children for adenoidectomy, especially when endoscopic examination is not available or cannot be performed.
Department of Radiology, Amiralam Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Shervin
S
Sharifkashani
Otolaryngology Research Center, Amiralam Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Payman
P
Dabirmoghaddam
Postgraduate, Tehran University of Medical Sciences.
Maryam
M
Kheirkhah
Azad University of Dentistry. Tehran, Iran.
Rima
R
Hosseinzadehnik
Adenoids; Endoscopy; Radiography; Signs and symptoms; Sleep apnea syndromes; Snoring