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The frequency of lingual tonsil enlargement in obese children

Carolina V A Guimaraes1, Maninder Kalra, Lane F Donnelly

  • 1Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave., MLC 5031, Cincinnati, OH 45229-3039, USA.

AJR. American Journal of Roentgenology
|March 22, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Obese children frequently have enlarged lingual tonsils, especially after tonsillectomy. This finding suggests enlarged lingual tonsils may contribute to obstructive sleep apnea in this population.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Sleep Medicine
  • Otolaryngology
  • Radiology

Background:

  • Enlargement of lingual tonsils is an emerging cause of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
  • Obesity is a known risk factor for OSA.
  • The prevalence of enlarged lingual tonsils in obese children is not well-established.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the frequency of enlarged lingual tonsils in obese children.
  • To compare lingual tonsil size in obese children with and without a history of tonsillectomy.

Main Methods:

  • Seventy-one obese children underwent MRI to measure lingual tonsil size.
  • Lingual tonsils > 10 mm were considered markedly enlarged.
  • Comparison between children with and without prior palatine tonsillectomy.

Main Results:

  • 62% of obese children had measurable lingual tonsils, a higher rate than previously reported.
  • 14% had markedly enlarged lingual tonsils (> 10 mm).
  • Children with prior tonsillectomy showed a significantly higher prevalence of enlarged lingual tonsils (78% vs. 22%) and markedly enlarged tonsils (90% vs. 10%).

Conclusions:

  • Obese children exhibit a high frequency of lingual tonsil enlargement.
  • Previous tonsillectomy is associated with a significantly higher prevalence of enlarged lingual tonsils in obese children.
  • Enlarged lingual tonsils may contribute to the development of obstructive sleep apnea in obese children.
Abstract

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