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Children with Prader-Willi syndrome, obstructive sleep apnea may benefit from adenotonsillectomy
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Adenotonsillectomy may relieve sleep disorders among children with Prader-Willi syndrome, according to data published in the Archives of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.
“Patients with Prader-Willi syndrome are at risk for sleep disordered breathing as growth hormone commonly used to treat their condition can cause the tonsils and adenoids to enlarge,” study researcher Kris Jatana, MD, FAAP, said in a press release. Jatana is from the otolaryngology, head and neck surgery section of Nationwide Children’s Hospital, which published the study, and a faculty member at The Ohio State University College of Medicine.
Patients with Prader-Willi syndrome at Nationwide Children’s Hospital undergo a sleep study each year and are evaluated for potential adenotonsillectomy if they experience obstructive sleep apnea. Researchers conducted a retrospective chart review; 13 patients met inclusion criteria and were categorized by severe, moderate or mild apnea/hypopnea indexes and obstructive hypoxia.
According to their review, 89% of patients with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea or obstructive hypoventilation normalized after adenotonsillectomy. Two of four children with severe obstructive sleep apnea normalized after surgery, and two continued to have severe apneas.
“These findings suggest that adenotonsillectomy is effective in most children with Prader-Willi syndrome who demonstrate mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea, but may not be curative in children with severe forms of the condition,” Jatana said.
An increase in central apneas can occur in some children with Prader-Willi syndrome after upper airway surgical intervention, so Jatana and colleagues recommend patients receive a repeat sleep study 6 to 8 weeks post-operatively.
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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