Objective To evaluate outcomes of tonsillectomy and predictors for persistent obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in children with Down syndrome in an ethnically diverse population. Study Design Case series with chart review. Setting UT Southwestern/Children’s Medical Center Dallas. Methods Polysomnographic, clinical, and demographic characteristics of children with Down syndrome ages 1 to 18 years were collected, including pre- and postoperative polysomnography. Simple and multivariable regression models were used for predictors for persistent OSA. P≤ .05 was considered significant. Results Eighty-one children were included with a mean age of 6.6 years, 44 of 81 (54%) males, and 53 of 81 (65%) Hispanic. Preoperatively, 60 of 81 (74%) patients had severe OSA. Posttonsillectomy improvements occurred for apnea-hypopnea index (27.9 to 14.0, P < .001), arousal index (25.2 to 18.8, P = .004), percent time with oxygen saturations <90% (8.8% to 3.4%, P = .003), and oxygen nadir (81.4% to 85%, P < .001). Forty-seven children (58%) had persistent OSA. Fifteen children (18.5%) had increased apnea-hypopnea index postoperatively: 2 from mild to moderate, 2 from mild to severe, and 2 from moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea. Persistent OSA predictors were asthma (odds ratio, 4.77; 95% CI, 1.61-14.09; P = .005) and increasing age (odds ratio, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.09-1.43; P = .001). Conclusion Children with Down syndrome are at high risk for persistent OSA after tonsillectomy with about 20% worsening after tonsillectomy. Asthma and increasing age are predictors for persistent OSA in children with Down syndrome.

Objective To identify predictors of severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in children under 3 years of age and to compare demographics, comorbidities, and polysomnographic characteristics of infants and toddlers with OSA. Study Design Retrospective case series. Methods We examined children under 3 years of age who had polysomnogram between August 2012 and March 2020. Demographics, clinical, and polysomnographic parameters were compared in children age 0–1 versus 1–3 years and 0–2 versus 2–3 years and severe versus mild–moderate OSA. Univariate analysis was used to compare age groups; multiple logistic regression for predictors of severe OSA. Significance was set at P < .05. Results Of the 413 children, 267 (65%) were male and 131 (32%) obese. The population included Hispanic (41%), African American (28%), and Caucasian (25%) children. A total of 98.5% had OSA and 35% had severe OSA. Children under 1 year of age more commonly had gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) (38% vs. 23%; P = .014); tonsillar hypertrophy was more common in children over 2 years of age (56% vs. 34%, P = .001). Down syndrome (odds ratio (OR): 3.16, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.14–8.68, P = .026) and tonsillar hypertrophy (OR: 1.97, 95% CI = 1.28–3.02, P = .002) were predictors of severe OSA. Conclusion Children under 3 years of age with OSA are more likely to be male and have GERD. Down syndrome and tonsillar hypertrophy are predictors of severe OSA, and children with these conditions should be prioritized for polysomnography. Level of Evidence 4 Laryngoscope, 131:E2603–E2608, 2021

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Objectives: To identify predictors of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) after adenotonsillectomy (T&A) in children under 3 years of age and to describe the characteristics of children with OSA under 3 years of age undergoing T&A in an ethnically diverse population. Methods: We examined 87 children under 3 years with T&A and pre- and post-operative polysomnography (PSG) between 8/2012 and 3/2020 at a large tertiary care hospital. Differences were compared for covariates including demographics, comorbidities, and respiratory parameters. Regression was used to identify predictors of persistent severe OSA. Significance was set at P < .05. Results: Of the 87 children in the study, 64 (74%) were male, 26 (30%) were obese, 34 (39%) were Hispanic, and 35 (40%) were Black. Most children (94%) had improvements in OSA severity as measured by the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) after T&A, but 78% had persistent OSA (AHI ≥1) after surgery. Children with persistent mild, compared to moderate-severe OSA, were more likely to have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) (50% versus 24%, P = .025), a craniofacial disorder (30% versus 10%, P = .025), Down syndrome (20% versus 5%, P = .031), or pre-operative severe OSA. Conclusions: This study of an ethnically diverse population found that T&A is an effective procedure at improving, but not resolving, OSA in children under 3 years. Children with Down syndrome, craniofacial abnormalities, GERD, or pre-operative severe OSA who are under 3 years old are at high risk for persistent OSA and may benefit from post-operative PSG. Future study should examine complications and long-term outcomes of T&A in this age group.

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