Telephone Screening to Identify Children at Risk for Persistent Obstructive Sleep Apnea After Adenotonsillectomy

Abstract

Introduction: Pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common condition that can result in a range of adverse health outcomes if left untreated. A significant number of children who undergo adenotonsillectomy (T&A) for OSA will have persistent symptoms.

Methods: This prospective, descriptive, pilot study utilized a telephone screening method with the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ) Sleep-Disordered Breathing (SRBD) questionnaire to identify children with residual symptoms of OSA after T&A. Risk factors for persistent OSA were also investigated.

Results: The percentage of children identified with symptoms of persistent OSA was 33% (n = 28). No significant variables were associated with increased PSQ-SRBD scores.

Discussion: This study found a number of children with persistent symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing after T&A, suggesting that these children may be at high risk for persistent OSA. Telephone screening using the PSQ-SRBD is a useful approach to identify children who may require a polysomnogram or referral to pediatric sleep specialist, particularly in settings where postoperative follow-up is poor.

Keywords: Obstructive sleep apnea; adenotonsillectomy; children; persistent sleep apnea; questionnaire; screening; sleep-disordered breathing.