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Ear, Nose and Throat Disorders in Children With Down Syndrome
Author(s) -
Mitchell Ron B.,
Call Ellen,
Kelly James
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
the laryngoscope
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1531-4995
pISSN - 0023-852X
DOI - 10.1097/00005537-200302000-00012
Subject(s) - medicine , laryngomalacia , otitis , pediatrics , otorhinolaryngology , obstructive sleep apnea , population , retrospective cohort study , nose , sleep apnea , referral , comorbidity , surgery , airway , stridor , family medicine , environmental health
Objective To document the reasons for which children with Down syndrome were referred to a pediatric otolaryngology practice, the underlying causes for these referrals, and the complications of routine surgical therapy. Study Design The study is a retrospective review of children referred to the Pediatric Otolaryngology Clinic at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center (Albuquerque, NM) during a period of 2.5 years. Methods Data were collected on 55 parameters related to ethnicity, demographics, diagnosis, surgical therapy, complications, and systemic comorbid conditions. Results The ethnicity of the study population was predominantly Hispanic or Latino (62%). The majority of children (76%) were referred for upper airway obstruction. Obstructive sleep apnea and laryngomalacia were the most common disorders in these children. An otological disorder was diagnosed in 70% of the children. Complications occurred after 27% of procedures for insertion of pressure equalization (PE) tubes to treat recurrent otitis media. Systemic comorbid conditions were present in 93% of the children, and the most common was gastroesophageal reflux disease. Conclusions Obstructive sleep apnea and laryngomalacia were the most common reasons for referral of children with Down syndrome. Routine surgical procedures that required general anesthesia caused complications that are not common in other children. Treatment for systemic comorbid conditions should be considered as a component of therapy for otolaryngological disorders in children with Down syndrome.