Blood Pressure after Surgery among Obese and Nonobese Children with Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Abstract

Objectives

Treating obstructive sleep apnea in children is found to be associated with blood pressure decreases. However, exactly how adenotonsillectomy (T&A) affects blood pressure in obese and nonobese children remains unclear. This study assesses how obesity affects blood pressure in children with sleep apnea after T&A.

Study Design

Case series with chart review.

Setting

A tertiary referral center.

Subjects and Methods

From 2010 to 2012, a total of 78 children were included. Based on propensity score methods (age, sex, and preoperative apnea-hypopnea index matched), children were assigned to either the obese group (n = 39) or the nonobese group (n = 39). All children received adenotonsillectomy. We recorded clinical symptoms, preoperative overnight polysomnography (PSG), and subsequent PSG within 3 months after T&A. We measured blood pressure 3 times before PSG (nocturnal blood pressure) and after PSG (morning blood pressure) in a sleep laboratory.

Results

Following surgery, the nonobese group had a significantly decreased nocturnal diastolic blood pressure (DBP) index (–12.0 to −18.8, P = .018), morning systolic blood pressure (SBP; 111.1 to 105.8 mm Hg, P = .014), SBP index (–5.4 to −10.9, P = .008), and DBP (–12.0 to −18.7, P = .023). Nevertheless, all blood pressure parameters in the obese group were not significantly changed postoperatively. The nonobese group improved more than obese group in nocturnal and morning DBP and DBP index by 2-way analysis of variance.

Conclusion

Among the children receiving T&A as treatment for OSA, nonobese children improved more than obese children did in terms of blood pressure, allowing us to infer that obese children with OSA may benefit less from T&A in cardiovascular morbidities.