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Nasopharyngeal Width and Its Association With Sleep-Disordered Breathing Symptoms in Children

Sang-Youp Lee1, Jeong-Whun Kim1

  • 1Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam, Korea.

Clinical and Experimental Otorhinolaryngology
|March 6, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Nasopharyngeal width in children averages 11.9 mm and increases with age. Greater nasopharyngeal width correlates with better symptom improvement after adenotonsillectomy for sleep-disordered breathing.

Area of Science:

  • Otolaryngology
  • Pediatric Sleep Medicine
  • Respiratory Physiology

Background:

  • Adenotonsillar hypertrophy is a primary cause of pediatric sleep-disordered breathing (SDB).
  • Nasopharyngeal width, a key anatomical factor, influences upper airway patency but its association with SDB in children remains under-investigated.
  • Understanding these anatomical contributions is crucial for optimizing SDB management in pediatric populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To measure nasopharyngeal width in children undergoing adenotonsillectomy for SDB.
  • To investigate the clinical implications of nasopharyngeal width on SDB symptom severity and post-operative outcomes.
  • To establish normative data for nasopharyngeal width in this demographic.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective study of 549 children (mean age 6.0 years) undergoing adenotonsillectomy for SDB symptoms.
  • Nasopharyngeal width measured pre-operatively; adenotonsillar hypertrophy graded; SDB symptoms assessed using the Korean Obstructive Sleep Apnea-18 questionnaire.
  • Follow-up at 1 month and 1 year post-surgery to evaluate symptom resolution and correlate with nasopharyngeal width.

Main Results:

  • Average nasopharyngeal width was 11.9 mm, showing a significant increase with age (P<0.001).
  • Children with greater pre-operative nasopharyngeal width demonstrated enhanced symptom improvement at 1 year compared to 1 month post-surgery.
  • Nasopharyngeal width was analyzed in relation to age, sex, adenotonsillar hypertrophy, and OSA-18 scores.

Conclusions:

  • Pediatric nasopharyngeal width averages 11.9 mm and increases with age.
  • Nasopharyngeal width appears to be a significant factor influencing the degree of SDB symptom improvement following adenotonsillectomy.
  • This finding highlights the importance of considering nasopharyngeal dimensions in the comprehensive evaluation and management of pediatric SDB.
Abstract

Keywords:
AdenoidectomyMouth BreathingRetrospective StudiesSleep Apnea SyndromesSnoringTonsillectomy

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