title: [Perioperative adverse respiratory events in overweight and obese children].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Overweight and obesity are increasing problems in pediatric anesthesia. This observational study was designed to examine how airway-related complications occur in overweight children and adolescents during general anesthesia and if this is a relevant problem in Germany.
  
  
  METHODS
  From October 2008 until August 2009, at the university clinic in Leipzig, 504 in- and outpatients, aged 2-18 years, ASA I-III, undergoing elective procedures (ENT and pediatric surgery), were observed. With the aid of special data sheets, the following parameters were determined: Mallampati Score, difficult mask ventilation and intubation, use of a Guedel/Wendl tube, Cormack-Lehane Score, number of intubation attempts, airway obstructions (broncho- and laryngospasms), coughing as a sign of airway irritation, and decreases in oxygen saturation >10 %.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overweight and obese children had a significantly higher Mallampati Score and a significantly higher prevalence of coughing (p < 0.05). None of the other parameters showed any significant differences between the groups. However, the incidence of desaturation was 9.5 % in overweight children and 6.3 % in children of normal weight, and that of airway obstructions was 4.1 vs 2.7 %.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated a very low incidence of respiratory problems, which may be caused by the low proportion of morbidly obese children and the older age of overweight children in comparison with other studies.
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Anästhesiologie und Intensivtherapie, Universitätsklinikum Leipzig, Liebigstraße 20, 04103, Leipzig, Deutschland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ulrici
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Anästhesiologie und Intensivtherapie, Universitätsklinikum Leipzig, Liebigstraße 20, 04103, Leipzig, Deutschland.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hempel
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Intensivmedizin, HELIOS Park-Klinikum Leipzig, Leipzig, Deutschland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sasse
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Leipzig, Leipzig, Deutschland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vollrath
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Anästhesiologie und Intensivtherapie, Universitätsklinikum Leipzig, Liebigstraße 20, 04103, Leipzig, Deutschland. Claudia.Hoehne@medizin.uni-leipzig.de.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Höhne
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D058109:Airway Management / Q000379:methods; D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures; D000758:Anesthesia / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal; D008297:Male; D050177:Overweight / Q000150:complications*; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000150:complications*; D019990:Perioperative Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: Airway complications; Anesthesia; Childhood; Obesity; Overweight