Adenotonsillectomy for obstructive sleep apnoea in children (Cochrane Review)

A substantive amendment to this systematic review was last made on 02 May 2001. Cochrane reviews are regularly checked and updated if necessary.

Background: Current treatment of sleep apnoea in children consists of largely surgical based treatments. Adenotonsillectomy is the most commonly used intervention to treat sleep apnoea in children.

Objectives: To determine the efficacy of adenotonsillectomy in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnoea in children.

Search strategy: The Cochrane Airways group specialised register was searched with pre-specified terms.

Selection criteria: Randomised trials recruiting children with a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnoea.

Data collection and analysis: A total of 196 references were identified from electronic searching. Twenty studies were retrieved and none met the inclusion criteria of the review.

Main results: Due to the absence of randomised trial data, no results could be ascertained.

Reviewers' conclusions: At present there is still debate as to the criteria required to diagnose significant obstructive sleep apnoea in children. Also the natural history of the condition has not been fully delineated. There is an absence of randomised controlled trials investigating the efficacy of treatment of obstructive sleep apnoea with adenotonsillectomy in children and, therefore, further research is required before recommendations for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnoea in children can be formulated.

Citation: Lim J, McKean M. Adenotonsillectomy for obstructive sleep apnoea in children (Cochrane Review). In: The Cochrane Library, Issue 3, 2003. Oxford: Update Software.

---

This is an abstract of a regularly updated, systematic review prepared and maintained by the Cochrane Collaboration. The full text of the review is available in The Cochrane Library (ISSN 1464-780X).

The Cochrane Library is designed and produced by Update Software Ltd.

Update Software Ltd, Summertown Pavilion, Middle Way, Oxford OX2 7LG, UK
(Tel:+44 1865 513902; Fax:+44 1865 516918)

File Reference: AB003136.htm