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Title: Obesity and persisting sleep apnea after adenotonsillectomy in Greek children. Author: Apostolidou MT, Alexopoulos EI, Chaidas K, Ntamagka G, Karathanasi A, Apostolidis TI, Gourgoulianis K, Kaditis AG. Journal: Chest; 2008 Dec; 134(6):1149-1155. PubMed ID: 18689589. Abstract: BACKGROUND: The relative importance of obesity and adenotonsillar hypertrophy in the pathogenesis of obstructive sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in childhood is unclear. Adenotonsillectomy (AT) for SDB is not always curative, and obese children are at increased risk for residual disease postoperatively. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this investigation was to assess the efficacy of AT as treatment for SDB in obese and nonobese children. METHODS: Children with adenoidal and/or tonsillar hypertrophy who underwent AT for the treatment of SDB underwent polysomnography preoperatively and postoperatively. A body mass index (BMI) z score of > 1.645 was used to define obesity. The achievement of a postoperative obstructive apnea-hypopnea index (OAHI) of less than one episode per hour (ie, the cure of SDB) was the primary outcome measure. RESULTS: Twenty-two obese children (mean [+/- SD] age, 5.8 +/- 1.8 years; mean BMI z score, 2.6 +/- 0.8; mean OAHI, 9.5 +/- 9.7 episodes per hour) and 48 nonobese children (mean age, 6.9 +/- 2.6 years; mean BMI z score, 0.09 +/- 1.1; OAHI, 6 +/- 5.4 episodes per hour) were recruited. After surgery, obese and nonobese subjects did not differ in the efficacy of AT (postoperative OAHI of less than one episode per hour, 22.7% vs 25% of subjects, respectively; p > 0.05). The presence of obesity, adenoidal or tonsillar hypertrophy, gender, and postoperative BMI change were not significant predictors of SDB cure. CONCLUSIONS: Obesity does not necessarily predict an unfavorable outcome of AT as treatment for SDB.[Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]