Development of Modified Questionnaire for Screening Purposes for Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Pediatric Population

Development of Modified Questionnaire for Screening Purposes for Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Pediatric Population

Objective: To assess the relationship between the clinical complaints in pediatric population, suspected with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and the gravity of polysomnographic criteria, a modified protocol for screening purposes has been developed.

Material and Methods: For a period of one year, during regular otorhinolaryngologic exam, five pediatric patients, aged between 4, 5 and 9 years with potential obstructive sleep disordered breathing have been identified. Subsequently, their parents fill out the modified questionnaire to evaluate the necessity of further polysomnographic examination.

Results: All five patients underwent split-night polysomnography and have been diagnosed with OSA, one with REM-dependent OSA.

Conclusion: Based on our clinical experience, we believe that the developed protocol for screening purposes is a valuable and effective tool for early detection of pediatric OSA, while the exact diagnosis requires an overnight polysomnography as a golden standard.