Validation of an outcomes instrument for tonsil and adenoid disease

OBJECTIVE: To design and validate a disease-specific health status instrument-the Tonsil and Adenoid Health Status Instrument-for use in children with tonsil and adenoid disease. DESIGN: Prospective psychometric and clinimetric instrument validation in 3 stages. SETTINGS: A tertiary academic pediatric specialty hospital and a tertiary academic hospital, in 2 different cities. PATIENTS/OTHER PARTICIPANTS: Children with tonsil and adenoid disease presenting for evaluation and treatment (n = 224). INTERVENTION/METHOD: Prospective instrument validation. Stage 1 consisted of initial item testing, reduction, and subscale construction; stage 2, reliability and validity testing, factor analysis, and final item reduction; and stage 3, responsiveness analysis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Test-retest and internal consistency reliability; content, construct, and criterion validity; orthogonal principal components factor analysis; and response sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: Factor analysis and item analysis confirmed 6 distinct subscales measuring different constructs (aspects) of disease-specific health status that are affected by tonsil and adenoid disease: eating and swallowing, airway and breathing, infections, health care utilization, cost of care, and behavior. For each subscale, the Tonsil and Adenoid Health Status Instrument demonstrated excellent test-retest reliability (r = 0.72-0.88) and internal consistency reliability (Cronbach alpha = .73-.87). Content validity was ensured during the design process. Construct validity was demonstrated by means of convergent and divergent validity with a global quality-of-life instrument (the Child Health Questionnaire, version PF28). Criterion validity was also satisfactory. Finally, the instrument was appropriately sensitive, with high standardized response means and effect sizes. CONCLUSIONS: The Tonsil and Adenoid Health Status Instrument is a valid, reliable, and sensitive instrument with 6 distinct subscales. This instrument has significant utility for outcomes research in children with tonsil and adenoid disease.     

Optimal utilization of histopathologic analysis of tonsil and adenoid specimens in the pediatric population

Objective

To evaluate the optimal utilization of histopathologic analysis of tonsil and adenoid specimens in the pediatric population.

Methods

A retrospective review was performed on 7837 tonsil and adenoid specimens submitted from January 2004 to April 2008. The records were reviewed for the patients’ age, sex, and pathologic analysis. The time and cost per analysis of each specimen were determined.

Results

Histopathology was performed on 347 specimens based on clinical suspicion by the surgeon, a difference of 0.5 cm or more among tonsils, gross abnormalities, and history of malignancy, transplant, or immunocompromise. Malignancy was diagnosed in 0.026% of patients. Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease was diagnosed in 6 of 24 immunocompromised patients. The use of these criteria resulted in a savings of $518,088.47 and 461 h of dedicated technician time per year.

Conclusions

Histologic examinations in selected specimens should be based on specific criteria that should be determined by each hospital based on hospital size, finances and input from their pathologists and otolaryngogists. Storage of a representative specimen for possible retrospective review may be useful.     

腺样体、扁桃体肥大患儿肺功能的改变及手术对其影响

目的 探讨腺样体、扁桃体肥大患儿肺功能的改变及手术对其影响.方法 选择因腺样体,扁桃体肥大住院手术患儿130例,采用MS-IOS肺功能仪检测其肺功能,并对术前肺功能异常的50例患儿术后随诊并再次行肺功能检测.采用呼吸阻抗(Zr)、共振频率(Rf),黏性阻力R5、R20,弹性阻力X5、X35,中心气道阻力(Rc)、外周气道阻力(Rp)等参数,分析不同程度腺样体、扁桃体肥大患儿以上参数的改变及手术前后的差异.结果 腺样体、扁桃体肥大患儿多数存在气道阻塞,Z5、R5、R20、X5、Rc、Rp等值偏高;但不同程度腺样体、扁桃体肥大患儿肺功能水平未见统计学差异(P＞0.05);与术前比较,患儿手术后气道阻塞程度明显减轻,表现为Z5、R5、R20等参数显著改善(P＜0.05).结论 腺样体、扁桃体肥大患儿多数存在气道阻塞,手术切除可明显减轻下气道阻塞程度.因此,对腺样体、扁桃体肿大患儿应早期干预,以消除对通气功能的影响.     

The effect of adenoid and tonsil surgery on nasalance

The change in nasalance following adenoidectomy, tonsillectomy and adenotonsillectomy was studied in 44 children. A subjective assessment of each child's naso-pharyngeal airway was made preoperatively based on a questionnaire completed by the parents. There was no significant change in the nasalance of children following adenoidectomy, but there was a significant increase in the nasalance following tonsillectomy (P = 0.02) and after adenotonsillectomy (P = 0.001). There was no relationship between the change in nasalance and the adenoid volume removed at operation. There was good agreement between the parental subjective assessment of the naso-pharyngeal airway and the preoperative nasalance score, with the best correlation in the adenoidectomy group (r = -0.8) and the adenotonsillectomy group (r = -0.7). Nasalance is more closely related to the size of the naso-pharyngeal airway than to the actual adenoid volume, and measurements of nasalance are of no benefit in predicting adenoid volume. Tonsillectomy had a significantly greater effect on nasalance than adenoidectomy, and adenotonsillectomy had the greatest effect. Further studies are needed to relate nasalance to the size of the naso-pharyngeal airway, but it appears to relate well to the subjective assessment of the airway and may be of use in patient selection for surgery.     

扁桃体腺样体肥大患儿术前术后血气分析

目的探讨儿童病理性扁桃体腺样体肥大低通气对血气的影响。方法对已确诊的12例扁桃体肥大、8例腺样体肥大及21例扁桃体合并腺样体肥大患儿手术前的动脉血气分析进行检则并与术后对比。结果所有患儿术前均出现不同程度的动脉氧分压降低,二氧化碳升高,部分伴有低氧血症、高碳酸血症。比较术前、术后动脉血氧分压(PaO2)、二氧化碳分压(PaCO2)均有统计学意义。结论扁桃体腺样体肥大可导致儿童长期慢性缺氧影响内环境平衡及生长发育,建议积极治疗。     

The effect of adenoid and tonsil surgery on nasalance.

The change in nasalance following adenoidectomy, tonsillectomy and adenotonsillectomy was studied in 44 children. A subjective assessment of each child's naso-pharyngeal airway was made preoperatively based on a questionnaire completed by the parents. There was no significant change in the nasalance of children following adenoidectomy, but there was a significant increase in the nasalance following tonsillectomy (P = 0.02) and after adenotonsillectomy (P = 0.001). There was no relationship between the change in nasalance and the adenoid volume removed at operation. There was good agreement between the parental subjective assessment of the naso-pharyngeal airway and the preoperative nasalance score, with the best correlation in the adenoidectomy group (r = -0.8) and the adenotonsillectomy group (r = -0.7). Nasalance is more closely related to the size of the naso-pharyngeal airway than to the actual adenoid volume, and measurements of nasalance are of no benefit in predicting adenoid volume. Tonsillectomy had a significantly greater effect on nasalance than adenoidectomy, and adenotonsillectomy had the greatest effect. Further studies are needed to relate nasalance to the size of the naso-pharyngeal airway, but it appears to relate well to the subjective assessment of the airway and may be of use in patient selection for surgery.     

儿童阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停低通气综合征扁桃体腺样体评价

目的探讨儿童扁桃体和/或腺样体肥大与阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停低通气综合征(obstructivesleepapneahypopneasyndrome,OSAHS)的相关性。方法对3～12岁的79例儿童鼾症患者及27例无鼾症儿童进行扁桃体大小及鼻内镜下腺样体大小的评价。对全部打鼾儿童进行多导睡眠监测(polysomnography,PSG)区分单纯性鼾症(primarysnoring,PS)和OSAHS,并了解他们的睡眠结构及呼吸紊乱情况,其中33例打鼾儿童进行了声阻抗检查。结果38例(66.7%)OSAHS儿童集中在3～6岁年龄阶段,单纯性鼾症儿童分布较均匀。3组间的扁桃体大小差异不显著(P>0.05),而腺样体大小差异有显著性,PS组和OSAHS组Ⅲ、Ⅳ级比例有明显增高的趋势(P<0.05)。扁桃体和腺样体均达到Ⅲ、Ⅳ级的对照组为22.2%、PS组为40.9%、OSAHS组为43.9%,虽有增高趋势但组间差异不显著(P>0.05)。PS和OSAHS两组Ⅰ期、Ⅱ期、慢波睡眠期、REM睡眠期的比例及进入睡眠的潜伏期、睡眠效率及觉醒指数基本一致(P>0.05),而最低血氧饱和度、平均血氧饱和度及睡眠呼吸暂停低通气指数(apneahypopneaindex,AHI)两组间有显著性差异(P<0.05)。两组儿童伴发鼻窦炎的情况为PS组6/22(27.3%),OSAHS组12/57(21.1%);伴发分泌性中耳炎的情况为PS组4/22(18.2%),OSAHS组11/57(19.3%),两组差异不显著(P>0.05)。结论PS和OSAHS的儿童睡眠结构差异不明显,伴发鼻窦炎、分泌性中耳炎的情况相似。在引起打鼾和OSAHS的阻塞性原因中,扁桃体的作用不明显,腺样体肥大与OSAHS之间有相关性,但不是导致OSAHS的唯一病因。     

Detection of Helicobacter pylori and its CagA gene in tonsil and adenoid tissues by PCR

OBJECTIVE: To determine the presence of Helicobacter pylori and, if detected, the prevalence of the CagA gene in adenotonsillectomy specimens by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). DESIGN: A prospective clinical trial. SETTING: Tertiary referral center. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study population comprised 23 patients who had undergone adenoidectomy, tonsillectomy, or adenotonsillectomy under local or general anesthesia. Helicobacter pylori DNA was extracted from 3-mm-diameter tissue samples obtained from each tonsil and adenoid tissue specimens. The amplifications were performed for the 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and CagA genes of H pylori in the samples of which H pylori DNA was detected. RESULTS: In examining all the samples, 7 (30%) of 23 patients were shown to be positive for H pylori DNA, 5 (71%) of whom also possessed the CagA gene. CONCLUSIONS: Tonsil and adenoid tissues may be an ecological niche of the mouth without regard to transient or permanent colonization. Oral-oral transmission may be a possible mode of spread of H pylori.     

Ghrelin levels in children with adenoid or chronic tonsil hypertrophies before and after surgery

Objective

We aimed to evaluate the ghrelin levels in the children with adenoid or tonsil hyperthrophies.

Methods

The study included 27 children (17 boys and 10 girls). Mean age was 6.9 ± 3.5 years, ranging from 3 to 16. Ghrelin levels in the patients and their weight and height measurements were evaluated before surgery and after 3 months later of the operation.

Results

While 18 (67%) children were operated for adenoid hypertrophy, 9 (33%) children were operated for adenoid and tonsil hypertrophy. It was found that postoperative ghrelin levels were significantly decreased whereas weight and BMI scores were significantly increased (p < 0.01). A weak correlation was observed between preoperative ghrelin and weight (r = −0.29). This negative correlation became more profound at the postoperative 3rd month examination (r = 0.85) (p < 0.01).

Conclusions

The present study showed that the surgical treatment provides positive contributions on the growing of children with adenoid and tonsil hypertrophies. The ghrelin levels were significantly decreased at the postoperative period in the children, and a negative relationship was observed between the ghrelin levels and the weight. These findings suggest that blood ghrelin levels may be useful as a parameter for following the development of the children.     

儿童阻塞性睡眠呼吸障碍患者腺样体和扁桃体增生的临床特征及其相关性研究

目的 通过对因腺样体和/或扁桃体增生导致儿童阻塞性睡眠呼吸障碍(OSDB)需要手术的病例资料分析,探讨儿童OSDB患者腺样体和扁桃体增生程度的临床特征及相关性。方法 提取前瞻性病例数据库中737例因腺样体和/或扁桃体增生导致OSDB进行了腺样体和/或扁桃体切除术患儿的临床资料。把性别、年龄、腺样体大小、扁桃体大小等设为观察指标。对数据进行统计学分析,对相关问题进行讨论。结果 在儿童OSDB患儿中：①腺样体增生程度随年龄上升呈下降趋势,扁桃体增生程度则随年龄增加呈上升趋势,差异具有统计学意义(P＜0.01)。②腺样体和扁桃体增生程度平均得分均值差异具有统计学意义(P＜0.01),腺样体增生程度高于扁桃体增生程度;这种差异在<6岁年龄段的儿童中尤其显著。③腺样体和扁桃体增生程度与性别无关(P均>0.05)。④腺样体增生程度与年龄呈负相关(r=-0.210,P＜0.01);扁桃体增生程度与年龄呈正相关(r=0.175,P＜0.01);腺样体增生与扁桃体增生呈负相关(r=-0.119,P=0.001)。结论 在儿童OSDB患者中,腺样体和扁桃体的增生具有不同的趋势和特点;腺样体增生程度与年龄呈负相关,扁桃体增生程度与年龄呈正相关;总体上腺样体的增生程度高于扁桃体,腺样体的增生对儿童OSDB贡献度较扁桃体大。