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OSAS in children: correlation between endoscopic and polysomnographic findings
Fabiana C P Valera1, Melissa A G Avelino, Márcia B Pettermann
1Division of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, Federal University of São Paulo, Brazil. facpvalera@uol.com.br
Objectives:
To correlate polysomnographic findings with clinical history of apnea, the degree of obstruction caused by tonsillar hypertrophy, and to age group.
Study Design And Setting:
267 children with a clinical diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSAS) were evaluated. Patients were divided into preschool- and school-age categories, and subdivided in 3 additional groups, according to tonsillar hypertrophy. Polysomnographic findings were compared within groups.
Results:
34% of children had history of OSAS and normal polysomnographic findings. Tonsillar hypertrophy was correlated to more severe apnea among preschool-age children, but not among school-age children. Among children with tonsillar hypertrophy, more severe apnea was observed in preschool-age children than in school-age children.
Conclusions:
There is little correlation between polysomnographic and clinical findings in children with OSAS.
Significance:
Adenotonsillar hypertrophy leads to more severe polysomnographic patterns in preschool-age children. More severe apnea is observed in younger children with adenotonsillar hypertrophy than in older ones.