Adenotonsillectomy for Snoring and Mild Sleep Apnea in Children: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Susan Redline, Harvard Medical School
Kaitlyn Cook, Smith CollegeFollow
Ronald D. Chervin, University of Michigan Medical School
Stacey Ishman, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
Cristina M. Baldassari, Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters Health System
Ron B. Mitchell, UT Southwestern Medical School
Ignacio E. Tapia, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
Raouf Amin, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
Fauziya Hassan, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Sally Ibrahim, University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital
Kristie Ross, University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital
Lisa M. Elden, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
Erin M. Kirkham, University of Michigan Medical School
David Zopf, University of Michigan Medical School
Jay Shah, University Hospitals Rainbow Babies
Todd Otteson, University Hospitals Rainbow Babies
Kamal Naqvi, UT Southwestern Medical School
Judith Owens, Harvard Medical School
Lisa Young, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
Susan Furth, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
Heidi Connolly, University of Rochester Medical Center
Caron A.C. Clark, University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Jessie P. Bakker, Harvard Medical School
Susan Garetz, University of Michigan Medical School
Jerilynn Radcliffe, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
H. Gerry Taylor, The Ohio State University
Carol L. Rosen, CASE School of Medicine
Rui Wang, Harvard Medical School

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-5-2023

Publication Title

JAMA

Publication Title

JAMA

Volume

330

Issue

21

Abstract

Importance: The utility of adenotonsillectomy in children who have habitual snoring without frequent obstructive breathing events (mild sleep-disordered breathing [SDB]) is unknown.

Objectives: To evaluate early adenotonsillectomy compared with watchful waiting and supportive care (watchful waiting) on neurodevelopmental, behavioral, health, and polysomnographic outcomes in children with mild SDB.

Design, Setting, and Participants: Randomized clinical trial enrolling 459 children aged 3 to 12.9 years with snoring and an obstructive apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) less than 3 enrolled at 7 US academic sleep centers from June 29, 2016, to February 1, 2021, and followed up for 12 months.

Intervention: Participants were randomized 1:1 to either early adenotonsillectomy (n = 231) or watchful waiting (n = 228).

Main Outcomes and Measures: The 2 primary outcomes were changes from baseline to 12 months for caregiver-reported Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) Global Executive Composite (GEC) T score, a measure of executive function; and a computerized test of attention, the Go/No-go (GNG) test d-prime signal detection score, reflecting the probability of response to target vs nontarget stimuli. Twenty-two secondary outcomes included 12-month changes in neurodevelopmental, behavioral, quality of life, sleep, and health outcomes.

Results: Of the 458 participants in the analyzed sample (231 adenotonsillectomy and 237 watchful waiting; mean age, 6.1 years; 230 female [50%]; 123 Black/African American [26.9%]; 75 Hispanic [16.3%]; median AHI, 0.5 [IQR, 0.2-1.1]), 394 children (86%) completed 12-month follow-up visits. There were no statistically significant differences in change from baseline between the 2 groups in executive function (BRIEF GEC T-scores: -3.1 for adenotonsillectomy vs -1.9 for watchful waiting; difference, -0.96 [95% CI, -2.66 to 0.74]) or attention (GNG d-prime scores: 0.2 for adenotonsillectomy vs 0.1 for watchful waiting; difference, 0.05 [95% CI, -0.18 to 0.27]) at 12 months. Behavioral problems, sleepiness, symptoms, and quality of life each improved more with adenotonsillectomy than with watchful waiting. Adenotonsillectomy was associated with a greater 12-month decline in systolic and diastolic blood pressure percentile levels (difference in changes, -9.02 [97% CI, -15.49 to -2.54] and -6.52 [97% CI, -11.59 to -1.45], respectively) and less progression of the AHI to greater than 3 events/h (1.3% of children in the adenotonsillectomy group compared with 13.2% in the watchful waiting group; difference, -11.2% [97% CI, -17.5% to -4.9%]). Six children (2.7%) experienced a serious adverse event associated with adenotonsillectomy.

Conclusions: In children with mild SDB, adenotonsillectomy, compared with watchful waiting, did not significantly improve executive function or attention at 12 months. However, children with adenotonsillectomy had improved secondary outcomes, including behavior, symptoms, and quality of life and decreased blood pressure, at 12-month follow-up. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02562040.

First Page

2084

Last Page

2095

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1001/jama.2023.22114

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