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Adenotonsillectomy improves behavior in higher, lower IQ children

Pediatric patients with both higher and lower intelligence scores at baseline showed improved behavior after adenotonsillectomy, according to recent research.

“This study provides data that can be important in helping families and clinicians anticipate behavioral change after childhood adenotonsillectomy,” Seockhoon Chung, MD, PhD, of the Sleep Disorders Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan and department of psychiatry at University of Ulsan College of Medicine in Seoul, Republic of Korea, and colleagues wrote. “As knowledge by both families and medical professionals about the associations between [sleep-disordered breathing (SDB)] and neurobehavioral problems has grown in recent years, increasing numbers of children come to medical attention, at least in part, because of parental concern about specific cognitive issues, disruptive behavior, or poor performance in school.”

Chung and colleagues evaluated 147 patients from two hospitals who underwent adenotonsillectomy between ages 3 years and 12 years, according to the abstract. At baseline and again at 6-month after the procedure, the researchers measured intelligence and behavior using the Standford-Binet Intelligence Scale and Connors’ Parent Rating Scale. Patients were grouped based on IQ (high IQ = 110 points or higher, average IQ = 90-109 points, and low IQ = 89 points or lower).

After the procedure, the researchers found the Connors’ Parent Rating Scales domains of internalizing, externalizing, cognitive and hyperactive domains had improved among all patients regardless of IQ score (P < .01), with no significant differences among improvements in these domains, according to the abstract. Of note, Chung and colleagues found patients in the high IQ group showed the same magnitude of behavioral improvement as the other two IQ groups. The researchers also noted factors such as age, IQ, socioeconomic status, respiratory disturbance index, or body mass index z score did not impact changes in the Connors’ Parent Rating Scale domains. – by Jeff Craven

Disclosure: Chung reports financial support from Asan Medical Center and University of Ulsan, Korea. Another researcher is a board member for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the International Pediatric Sleep Association, a consultant for Zansors, and reports financial support from Respironics and Fisher Paykel. Please see the full study for a list of all other researchers’ relevant financial disclosures.