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Patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) in children with sleep-disordered breathing undergoing adenotonsillectomy
M Bogaerts1, W Schrooten, N Lemkens
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg, Genk, Belgium. marie_bogaerts@hotmail.com
Insights
Adenotonsillectomy significantly improved symptoms and daily functioning in children with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). An electronic questionnaire proved feasible for assessing treatment outcomes in SDB patients.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Pediatric Sleep Medicine
- Health Outcomes Research
Background:
- Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) significantly impacts children's health and daily life.
- Adenotonsillectomy is a common treatment for SDB in pediatric populations.
- Assessing treatment effectiveness through patient-reported outcomes is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of adenotonsillectomy on SDB symptoms and daily functioning in children.
- To determine the feasibility of using an electronic questionnaire for assessing treatment outcomes in pediatric SDB.
- To compare pre- and post-operative health status using patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs).
Main Methods:
- An electronic questionnaire was administered to parents of children undergoing adenotonsillectomy for SDB at three time points: pre-surgery (T0), two weeks post-surgery (T1), and six months post-surgery (T2).
- The questionnaire assessed symptoms including snoring, sleepiness, behavior, appetite, and apneas.
- The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to analyze changes in symptom scores.
Main Results:
- High participation (88%) and response rates (T1: 82.6%, T2: 79.7%) were achieved, indicating feasibility.
- Significant reductions in scores for snoring, behavior, apnea, and sleepiness were observed post-surgery (T1 and T2) compared to pre-surgery (T0).
- Appetite scores significantly improved at six months post-surgery (T2) compared to pre-surgery (T0).
Conclusions:
- Adenotonsillectomy leads to significant improvements in symptoms and daily functioning for children with SDB.
- Electronic questionnaires are a feasible and effective tool for evaluating treatment outcomes in pediatric SDB.
- This method provides valuable patient-reported outcome data for assessing adenotonsillectomy effectiveness.
Objectives:
Patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) asses the health status or health related quality of life from the patient's perspective. The aims of this study were to assess the effect of adenotonsillectomy on symptoms and daily functioning in children with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) using an electronic questionnaire, and to determine if this is a feasible method to evaluate treatment outcome in this patient population.
Methods:
The electronic questionnaire was administered to the parents of children undergoing adenotonsillectomy for SDB on the day of surgery (T0), and two weeks (T1) and six months (T2) after surgery. The questionnaire scored symptoms in 5 different fields (snoring, sleepiness, behaviour, appetite, and apnoea). Higher scores indicated more pronounced symptoms. The score on T0 measured the preoperative symptoms. The main outcome measure (the change in scores between the postoperative measurements and the preoperative measurement) was analysed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test.
Results:
Eighty-eight percent of invited patients participated in the study. Six percent had no access to internet, and another 6% did not wish to participate. Language problems were not reported. Response rates for T1 and T2 were 82.6% and 79.7% respectively. The T1 and T2 scores were significantly lower than the scores on T0 for snoring, behaviour, apnoea, and sleepiness. The T2 appetite score was significantly higher than on T0, which indicates an improvement of appetite.
Conclusion:
A comparison of pre- and postoperative results from an electronic disease-specific questionnaire indicated significantly improved symptoms and daily functioning in children undergoing adenotonsillectomy for SDB. High participation and response rates indicated it was feasible to assess treatment outcome by means of an electronic questionnaire.
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