Effect of adenotonsillectomy in children with sleep-disordered breathing

December 19, 2011 in Sleep apnea

Children may have a better quality of life (QOL) and diminished cardiovascular disease risk from the decreased endothelin 1 (ET-1) levels after adenotonsillectomy, according to new research published in the December 2011 issue of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery.

SDB is an increasingly common indication for tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy due to obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). Cardiovascular (CV) disease frequently has been reported in patients with moderate to severe OSAS, related abnormalities include: systematic hypertension, pulmonary hypertension with corpulmonale, left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy or dysfunction, cardiac arrhythmias, atherosclerosis, and coronary artery disease.

The study sample included an obstructive sleep apnea survey and a detailed personal and family history. All subjects underwent a complete otolaryngologic examination, otoscopy, and anterior rhinoscopy. Thirty-seven with a diagnosis of upper airway obstruction caused by adenotonsillar hypertrophy (ATH) were included in the study. Twenty female and 17 male patients, between 3 and 13 years old participated in the study.

Surgical procedures included: 20 tonsillectomies and adenoidectomies (54%), 15 adenoidectomies only (40.6%), and 2 tonsillectomies only (5.4%). Study results show when comparing moderate and severe cases to mild cases according to Brouilette scores, ET-1 levels were significantly higher in moderate and severe cases (P <.01). There was a significant correlation between ET-1 and the OSA-18 survey scale (r =0.442; P =.001).

The objective of the study was to evaluate the influence of adenotonsillectomy on the plasma concentration of ET-1 levels and C-reactive protein (CRP) in children with (SDB). The primary goal of this research study was to investigate the effect of ATH and adenotonsillectomy on the possible pathogenic mechanisms (endothelial dysfunction and inflammation) that lead to cardiovascular complications.

Based on the study findings, the authors indicate: "…that children with SDB who undergo adenotonsillectomy may have a better QOL, and the positive influence of adenotonsillectomy on CV function might be mediated by the decrease in ET-1 levels." The study's authors acknowledge that more research is needed, noting: "Further studies with longer follow-up and a larger population sample are warranted to demonstrate the association between SDB due to ATH and ET-1 levels and to confirm the influence of on ET-1 and CRP levels to prevent cardiovascular disease in children."

Provided by American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery

not rated yet  

Rank not rated yet
Relevant PhysicsForums posts

More news stories

Obstructive sleep apnea associated with less visceral fat accumulation in women than men

A new study from researchers in Japan indicates that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is independently associated with visceral (abdominal) fat accumulation only in men, perhaps explaining gender differences in the impact of ...

Sleep apnea created 22 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Better behavior after tonsil/adenoid surgery for kids with sleep breathing trouble?

Children with obstructive sleep apnea who had a common surgery to remove their tonsils and adenoids showed notable improvements in behavior, quality of life and other symptoms compared to those treated with "watchful waiting" ...

Sleep apnea created May 21, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Stress test may help predict increased mortality risk in sleep apnea patients

Many studies have shown that men and women who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) - a disorder that causes breathing to halt intermittently during sleep – have a higher mortality rate than those who do not have the ...

Sleep apnea created May 20, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Treatment of sleep apnea improves glucose levels in prediabetes

Optimal treatment of sleep apnea in patients with prediabetes improves blood sugar (glucose) levels and thus can reduce cardiometabolic risk, according to a study to be presented at the ATS 2013 International Conference in ...

Sleep apnea created May 20, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Researchers identify a potential new risk for sleep apnea: Asthma

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin have identified a potential new risk factor for obstructive sleep apnea: asthma. Using data from the National Institutes of Health (Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)-funded Wisconsin ...

Sleep apnea created May 19, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0 | with audio podcast


Researchers find common childhood asthma unconnected to allergens or inflammation

Little is known about why asthma develops, how it constricts the airway or why response to treatments varies between patients. Now, a team of researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College, Columbia University Medical Center ...

Scientists discover molecule triggers sensation of itch

Scientists at the National Institutes of Health report they have discovered in mouse studies that a small molecule released in the spinal cord triggers a process that is later experienced in the brain as the sensation of ...

Multiple research teams unable to confirm high-profile Alzheimer's study

Teams of highly respected Alzheimer's researchers failed to replicate what appeared to be breakthrough results for the treatment of this brain disease when they were published last year in the journal Science.

Brain uses internal 'average voice' prototype to identify who is talking

(Medical Xpress)—The human brain is able to identify individuals' voices by comparing them against an internal 'average voice' prototype, according to neuroscientists.

Drug reverses Alzheimer's disease deficits in mice, research confirms

An anti-cancer drug reverses memory deficits in an Alzheimer's disease mouse model, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health researchers confirm in the journal Science.

Antibiotics: A new understanding of sulfonamide nervous system side effects

Since the discovery of Prontosil in 1932, sulfonamide antibiotics have been used to combat a wide spectrum of bacterial infections, from acne to chlamydia and pneumonia. However, their side effects can include serious neurological ...