Objectives: Draw up an evaluative approach to the diagnostic contribution of nocturnal oximetry associated with a parental questionnaire in children with adenotonsillar hypertrophy (ATH).
Patients and methods: Analysis of a parental questionnaire on sleep patterns and oximetry recording made in children with ATH. The results of the oximetry were compared to the data gathered from the questionnaire.
Results: Of the 342 children (age range, 3 months to 14 years), 209 permanent snorers, 115 occasional snorers, and 18 non-snorers were identified. The proportion of positive oximetry readings varied from 31.6 to 0% and the difference was significant between the first group and the two others (p<0.001). The data were correlated for four symptoms, including snoring and sleep apnea. The absence of snoring always gave a negative oximetry reading.
Conclusions: In cases of ATH, a negative questionnaire can predict that oximetry will not be useful and if necessary advise for a polysomnography for an exclusion diagnosis. In contrast, a positive questionnaire followed by a positive oximetry argues in favor of the polysomnography not being useful.
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