Weight Gain after Adenotonsillectomy

Abstract

Objective

To study the association between adenotonsillectomy (T&A) and weight gain in children.

Study Design

Retrospective case-control series.

Setting

Tertiary academic children’s medical center.

Subjects and Methods

A total of 154 children who underwent T&A at a tertiary care children’s hospital between December 2010 and March 2011 were included. They were compared with 182 children with similar demographics who were seen in primary care clinics at the same institution (control group). Height and weight were compared at 6-month intervals over a 24-month period. Patients were divided into normal weight, overweight, and obese. A multilevel mixed-effects regression model was used for analysis. Significance was set at P ≤ .05.

Results

Children who underwent T&A gained more weight than controls at every interval. At 24 months, they gained an additional 2.6 kg (confidence interval [CI], 0.9-3.9) but were an additional 1.8 cm (CI, 0.1-3.5) taller. There was no difference in weight gain at 6 months for obese children. At 12, 18, and 24 months, the obese group outgained the control group. At 24 months, the obese T&A group had gained an average of 14.3 kg, while the control had gained 10.1 kg, for a difference of 4.2 kg (CI, 1.3-6.1) with no difference in height changes. There were no differences in weight or height changes for the normal-weight and overweight groups at the conclusion of the study.

Conclusions

T&A leads to a significant increase in weight in obese but not normal-weight or overweight children. Efforts should be made to provide weight reduction counseling prior to T&A in obese children.