Asthma as a risk factor for respiratory complications after adenotonsillectomy in children with obstructive breathing
Maninder Kalra1, Ralph Buncher, Raouf S Amin
1Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229, USA. maninder.kalra@cchmc.org
Insights
Children with asthma face higher risks of breathing complications after adenotonsillectomy for sleep apnea. This study confirms asthma as a significant risk factor, increasing complication odds by 4.4 times.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Otolaryngology
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Sleep Medicine
Background:
- Children with asthma are more prone to obstructive sleep-related breathing issues.
- Adenotonsillectomy is a common treatment for obstructive sleep breathing but carries risks.
- Postoperative respiratory complications following adenotonsillectomy are a significant concern.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if asthma is a predictive factor for respiratory complications post-adenotonsillectomy in children with obstructive sleep breathing.
- To quantify the association between asthma and adverse respiratory outcomes after adenotonsillectomy.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study design was employed.
- 115 children with respiratory complications (study group) were compared to 115 children without complications (control group).
- Participants ranged from 3 to 18 years of age.
Main Results:
- Respiratory complications included oxygen desaturation and respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation.
- A significantly higher proportion of children with asthma were observed in the study group (P < .01).
- Asthma increased the odds of postoperative respiratory complications by 4.4 times (95% CI, 2.13-9.0), even after adjusting for other factors.
Conclusions:
- Asthma is a significant risk factor for respiratory complications in children undergoing adenotonsillectomy for obstructive sleep breathing.
- The findings highlight the importance of considering asthma status in the perioperative management of these pediatric patients.
Background:
Children with asthma are at increased risk for obstructive breathing during sleep. Adenotonsillectomy, the treatment of choice for obstructive breathing during sleep, is associated with significant postoperative respiratory morbidity.
Objective:
To determine whether asthma is a risk factor for respiratory complications after adenotonsillectomy in children with obstructive breathing during sleep.
Methods:
This case-control study compared 115 children aged 3 to 18 years with respiratory complications after adenotonsillectomy (study group) with 115 children without respiratory complications after adenotonsillectomy (control group).
Results:
The postoperative respiratory complications ranged from oxygen desaturation to respiratory failure that required mechanical ventilation. The study group had a higher proportion of children with asthma (P < .01). Logistic regression analysis showed that asthma increases the odds of postoperative respiratory complications to 4.4 (95% confidence interval, 2.13-9.0), after controlling for age, weight greater than the 97th percentile for age, sex, race, and medical conditions other than asthma.
Conclusions:
In children with obstructive breathing during sleep, the presence of asthma is associated with an increased risk of respiratory complications after adenotonsillectomy.
Related Concept Videos
Tonsillitis I: Introduction
Etiology
Three primary contributing factors have been identified.
Asthma-III: Symptoms and Complications
Classification of Asthma
Asthma I: Introduction
Asthma-I: Introduction
Other Pulmonary Disorders
Asthma III: Clinical Manifestations
