Drug-induced sleep endoscopy directed surgery improves polysomnography measures in overweight and obese children with obstructive sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea affects approximately 1-4% of all children, with increased prevalence amongst overweight and obese children.
To assess the effects of drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE)-directed surgery on polysomnography parameters in obese and overweight children.
A retrospective case-series was performed on obese and overweight pediatric patients who underwent clinically indicated DISE-directed surgery. Forty children met the inclusion criteria, including: body mass index ≥85%, DISE-study, and pre- and post-DISE polysomnography. Patients were divided into surgically naïve ( = 23) and prior adenotonsillectomy ( = 17) groups. Demographic and clinical characteristics were examined with chi-square and Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Polysomnography parameters were compared with Wilcoxon signed rank test.
Of 40 children with mean BMI 94% and mean age 8 ± 6 years old, 17 (43%) underwent a previous adenotonsillectomy. Overall, significant improvements were observed in the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI; 25.0 to 9.9 events/hour,  < .01) and oxygen nadir (82.7% to 88.5%,  < .01). A similar pattern was observed among the surgically naïve (AHI: 35.9 to 12.7 events/hour,  = .04; oxygen nadir: 79.7% to 86.4%,  = .2) and post-adenotonsillectomy groups (AHI: 10.4 to 6.2 events/hour,  = .02; oxygen nadir: 86.7% to 91.2%,  < .01).
Polysomnography parameters significantly improved following DISE-directed interventions in obese and overweight children with obstructive sleep apnea.