A new study from Mass General Brigham researchers reveals that early adenotonsillectomy—surgical removal of the tonsils and adenoids—can significantly reduce health care utilization in children with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), ranging from snoring to sleep apnea. These conditions, affecting an estimated 6-17% of children, can lead to a range of serious health issues, including behavioral, neurocognitive, cardiovascular, and cardiometabolic problems.
The randomized trial, published in JAMA Pediatrics, is the first of its kind to assess the impact of early adenotonsillectomy on health care utilization in children with SDB. The study followed 381 children aged 3 to 13, all with mild sleep-disordered breathing, from 2016 to 2022.
The findings, led by Dr. Susan Redline, MD, MPH, director of Programs in Sleep Medicine Epidemiology and Sleep and Cardiovascular Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, demonstrate a clear benefit to early surgical intervention. “Our results show that adenotonsillectomy reduces overall health care utilization, making it a promising early intervention for children with mild SDB,” said Dr. Redline. “Excluding the post-operative period, this surgery can prevent 125 doctor visits and 253 prescriptions for every 100 children in the first year following the procedure.”
The randomized 12-month trial found that children who underwent the surgery had 32% fewer doctor visits and 48% fewer prescriptions compared to those who did not receive the procedure. These results underscore the potential of early adenotonsillectomy to ease the long-term health burden on children with sleep-disordered breathing.
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