Analysis of Outcomes in Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Infants

Objectives/hypothesis: To investigate interventions used for treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in infants.

Study Design: Retrospective medical record review.

Methods: Patients 3 to 24 months old at the time of diagnosis of OSA by polysomnography (PSG) were studied at a tertiary care children's hospital. The main outcome measures were demographic data, PSG data, intervention data, subjective results of interventions, and medical comorbidities.

Results: Of the 295 patients included, 196 (66%) were males and 99 (34%) were females. The most common interventions with average age at the time of intervention were: adenotonsillectomy, 115 patients (31.8%, 22.3 months); adenoidectomy, 82 patients (22.5%, 17.7 months); observation, 76 patients (20.9%, 12.8 months); supplemental oxygen, 27 patients (7.4%, 11.7 months); continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)/bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP), 18 patients (4.9%, 15.6 months); tonsillectomy, 16 patients (4.4%, 25.7 months); and tracheostomy, six patients (1.7%, 15.3 months). In the youngest patients (3-5 months of age), 89.3% of interventions were nonsurgical and 10.7% were surgical. In the oldest patients (older than 24 months), 17.5% of interventions were nonsurgical and 82.5% were surgical. Subjective improvement following intervention was highest after adenotonsillectomy. The intervention with the greatest percentage decrease in apnea-hypopnea index (objective efficacy) was tracheostomy, followed by CPAP/BiPAP. Average time from diagnosis to intervention was 35.5 days for nonsurgical interventions and 92.4 days for surgical interventions.

Conclusions: Observation was the most common nonsurgical intervention and the most common intervention in patients younger than 12 months. Adenotonsillectomy was the most common surgical and overall intervention. Adenotonsillectomy had the greatest subjective efficacy, and tracheostomy had the greatest objective efficacy.