): The investigator plans to prospectively evaluate 50 children with a clinical diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) by a standardized history, physical examination, review of a tape recording of breathing during sleep, lateral neck radiograph to assess adenoid size, EKG to assess right ventricular hypertrophy, and behavioral assessment. A clinical assessment score will be assigned to each patient. Nocturnal polysomnography (NPSG) will then be used as the gold reference standard to determine the presence or absence of true sleep apnea. Children with a positive NPSG will undergo tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy. Children with negative NPSG will be randomized to undergo tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy or no surgery. All children will be reassessed in an identical fashion with follow-up NPSGs six months later.
| Goldstein, Nira A; Pugazhendhi, Vasanthi; Rao, Sudha M et al. (2004) Clinical assessment of pediatric obstructive sleep apnea. Pediatrics 114:33-43 |
