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Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea With Personalized Surgery in Children With Small Tonsils

Not Applicable
Recruiting
Conditions
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Otolaryngological Disease
Interventions
Procedure: DISE-Directed Surgery
Procedure: Adenotonsillectomy
Registration Number
NCT06258837
Lead Sponsor
Oregon Health and Science University
Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness of a novel personalized surgical approach to the standard AT in children with small tonsils (ST). This will be accomplished by randomizing children with ST and OSA to one of these two treatments and comparing outcomes after 6 months. It is the investigators' central hypothesis that a personalized drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE)-directed surgical approach that uses existing procedures to address the specific fixed and dynamic anatomic features causing obstruction (ie, anatomic endotypes) in each child with ST will perform better than the currently recommended standard first line approach of AT. This novel approach may improve OSA outcomes and reduce the burden of unnecessary AT or secondary surgery for persistent OSA after an ineffective AT. To test this hypothesis, the investigators propose to study children aged 2-17 years with small tonsils and OSA.

Detailed Description

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is common in children with an estimated prevalence of 1-6%. Untreated pediatric OSA is associated with hypertension, autonomic dysfunction, attention-deficit / hyperactivity disorder, neurocognitive deficits, poor school performance, poor quality of life, and a \>200% increase in health care utilization compared to controls. Adenotonsillar hypertrophy is the primary risk factor for pediatric OSA, and adenotonsillectomy (AT) is the recommended first line treatment. However, the prevalence of persistent OSA after AT has been reported to be at least 20% among children with large tonsils, indicating that AT may not be the optimal intervention in all cases. Although the prevalence of small tonsils in children with OSA symptoms is up to 70%, there is currently no clear evidence on the outcome of AT in children with small tonsils. It has been shown that clinic assessments of tonsil size do not correlate with OSA severity or response to AT, leaving confusion about how best to treat OSA in children with small tonsils. This knowledge gap represents an opportunity to apply a personalized treatment approach and improve outcomes.

DISE entails passage of a flexible endoscope through the nose into the pharynx and enables direct observation of the sites and patterns of upper airway obstruction during sedated sleep. DISE was developed to guide surgical decisions in adult OSA, and in recent years has also been used to design personalized surgical interventions in children. To help standardize DISE assessments, the investigators previously developed and validated the DISE Rating Scale in children based on ordinal ratings of maximal airway obstruction (none, partial, complete) at six anatomic sites from the nose to the larynx.

The investigators also demonstrated that DISE ratings of adenotonsillar obstruction during sedated sleep are strongly associated with both OSA severity and response to AT, unlike clinic assessments of tonsil size. The investigators' preliminary data and other published studies have identified a high prevalence of non-adenotonsillar obstruction that can occur at the nose, palate, base of tongue, and larynx. Surgery that is tailored to the specific anatomic sites of obstruction observed during DISE may improve pediatric OSA outcomes, but existing studies are small, uncontrolled case series in heterogeneous study populations. There are no trials directly comparing AT and DISE-directed surgery in the common scenario of surgically naïve children with small tonsils.

The purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness of a novel personalized surgical approach to the standard AT in children with small tonsils (ST). This will be accomplished by randomizing children with ST and OSA to one of these two treatments and comparing outcomes after 6 months. It is the investigators' central hypothesis that a personalized drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE)-directed surgical approach that uses existing procedures to address the specific fixed and dynamic anatomic features causing obstruction (i.e., anatomic endotypes) in each child with ST will perform better than the currently recommended standard first line approach of AT. This novel approach may improve OSA outcomes and reduce the burden of unnecessary AT or secondary surgery for persistent OSA after an ineffective AT. To test this hypothesis, the investigators propose to study children aged 2-17 years with small tonsils and OSA.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
RECRUITING
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
240
Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Drug-Induced Sleep EndoscopyDISE-Directed SurgeryDISE will be performed at the time of surgery under the same sedation. The decision on specific surgical approach will be made at that time based on DISE findings. Prior to intubation, patients will be sedated with either a propofol infusion or a combination of ketamine and dexmedetomidine. Once adequate sedation is achieved, endoscopy will be performed using a flexible endoscope advanced through the nose. The nasal airway will be evaluated on both sides, then the endoscope will be advanced into the pharynx. The degree of obstruction is scored on a 3-point rating scale. Participants randomized to DISE-directed surgery will undergo one or more potential procedures in a single surgery. Caregivers will be consented for all possible procedures with the understanding that only those needed based on DISE will be performed. Importantly, these procedures are all established treatments with published outcomes data.
AdenotonsillectomyAdenotonsillectomyAdenotonsillar hypertrophy is the most common risk factor for OSA in children, and adenotonsillectomy (AT) is the first line treatment. An adenotonsillectomy is an operation to remove both the adenoids and tonsils.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change from Baseline Polysomnography Measures: Total Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) at 6 months6 month follow up sleep study (after surgery)

Objective results from sleep studies (polysomnography): Total Apnea-Hypopnea Index: 6 months follow up sleep study difference from baseline sleep study. Higher scores indicate higher disease burden. Scores can range from zero to two hundred.

Change from Baseline Polysomnography Measures: Percent Total Sleep Time with ETCO2 > 50 mmHg at 6 months6 month follow up sleep study (after surgery)

% Total Sleep Time with ETCO2 \> 50 mmHg: 6 months follow up sleep study difference from baseline sleep study. Higher scores mean higher disease burden. Scores range from 0-100.

Change from Baseline Polysomnography Measures: REM Apnea-Hypopnea Index (REM AHI) at 6 months6 month follow up sleep study (after surgery)

Objective results from sleep studies (polysomnography): REM Apnea-Hypopnea Index REM AHI: 6 months follow up sleep study difference from baseline sleep study. Higher scores indicate higher disease burden. Scores can range from zero to two hundred.

Change from Baseline Polysomnography Measures: Max End Tidal CO2 (ETCO2) at 6 months6 month follow up sleep study (after surgery)

Max End Tidal CO2 (ETCO2): 6 months follow up sleep study difference from baseline sleep study. Higher scores mean higher disease burden. Normal is 35-40 mmHg.

Change from Baseline Polysomnography Measures: Obstructive Apnea-Hypopnea Index (oAHI) at 6 months6 month follow up sleep study (after surgery)

Objective results from sleep studies (polysomnography): Obstructive Apnea-Hypopnea Index (oAHI): 6 months follow up sleep study difference from baseline sleep study. Higher scores indicate higher disease burden. Scores can range from zero to two hundred.

Change from Baseline Polysomnography Measures: minimum Oxygen saturation (SpO2) at 6 months6 month follow up sleep study (after surgery)

Objective results from sleep studies (polysomnography): Minimum Oxygen Saturation (Min SpO2): 6 months follow up sleep study difference from baseline sleep study. Lower scores indicate higher disease burden. Scores range from 0-100, although neither extreme is actually seen in patients.

Change from Baseline Polysomnography Measures: Oxyhemoglobin desaturation ≥ 3% Index (desat index) at 6 months6 month follow up sleep study (after surgery)

Oxyhemoglobin desaturation ≥ 3% Index: 6 months follow up sleep study difference from baseline sleep study. Higher scores mean higher disease burden. Mild desaturation (\< 5.0 events/h), moderate desaturation (≥ 5.0 events/h and \< 10.0 events/h), and severe desaturation (≥ 10.0 events/h).

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change in Generic PedsQL (Pediatric Quality of Life) Questionnaire score6 month follow up

Generic quality of life measure: an age specific questionnaire with 23 questions (scores range from 0-100); higher scores indicate better quality of life.

Change in Generic PedsQL (Pediatric Quality of Life) Questionnaire answers6 month follow up

Quality of life: questionnaire results by individual question. Adjusted scores range from 0-100; higher scores indicate better quality of life.

Adverse Events24 hour period after surgery

Did any adverse events occur in the post-operative time frame? This is a yes/no question, looking at the following outcomes: dehydration and poor oral intake due to post-operative pain, post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage, and respiratory compromise.

Change in Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)-18 Questionnaire score6 month follow up

Disease specific quality of life measure: 18 questions, scores range from 18-126; higher scores means higher disease burden

Total Drug induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) scoreAt time of surgery

Subjective ratings of degree of obstruction at 6 levels of the upper airway, done by surgeon. Scores range from 0 to 12. Higher scores means more breathing obstruction, or more disease burden.

Change in Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) Questionnaire answersBaseline versus 6 month follow up

Assesses behavioral and emotional problems: questionnaire results by total score and by "syndrome scale scores". Adjusted norms scores range from 0.0-1.0; higher scores indicate greater problems.

Trial Locations

Locations (2)

Oregon Health and Science University

🇺🇸

Portland, Oregon, United States

University of Michigan

🇺🇸

Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States

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