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Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) is common in children with Down Syndrome (DS). Adenotonsillectomy is regarded as first line treatment for OSA but does not always lead to resolution of symptoms in this group of children. Management of residual OSA is variable with no existing recommendations to guide clinical practice. To describe the experience of a large tertiary sleep service in managing residual OSA in children with DS following upper airway surgery (adenotonsillectomy, adenoidectomy or tonsillectomy). A retrospective study of children who were under evaluation at the Queensland Children's Hospital sleep medicine department between October 2013 to April 2022 for residual OSA, after upper airway surgery was undertaken. 148 children with DS who underwent polysomnography for evaluation of OSA were identified. 100 were included in this study and of these, 77 underwent adenotonsillectomy, 19 adenoidectomy, and 4 tonsillectomy. Post-surgical PSG data of all 100 children showed residual mixed sleep disordered breathing in 68 children. 41 were recommended CPAP following surgery, while 21 underwent further surgery. Residual OSA was confirmed to be highly prevalent in children with DS who had already undergone upper airway surgery for OSA. This study identified that CPAP is possible to establish in most children with DS and can be used to manage residual OSA in this population. Approximately one-third of this group were able to discontinue therapy at a median duration of 18 months, suggesting resolution of disease with time can occur in some children. • Improvement in OSA severity post-initial surgery seen in 62% of children. • Residual moderate-severe OSA seen following surgical management in 33% of children. • 82.9% of children initiated on CPAP therapy were able to sustain it for >12 months. • 31.7% of children commenced on CPAP were able to cease after 15 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic snoring (≥4 nights per week) is not benign. Otherwise healthy children with chronic snoring and evidence of adenotonsillar hypertrophy can be referred directly for adenotonsillectomy. Snoring children <30 months or with significant medical comorbidities should be referred for specialist sleep evaluation. Older children with intermittent snoring or without significant medical comorbidities can be managed with a combination of medical and surgical interventions listed herein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this systematic review is to summarise the existing literature regarding management of residual obstructive sleep apnoea post adenotonsillectomy in children with Down Syndrome. PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane and Scopus were searched to retrieve all studies published up to May 2020 regarding the management of obstructive sleep apnoea in children with Down Syndrome post adenotonsillectomy. Eight studies were identified including five retrospective studies, two prospective and one case series. Five articles addressed surgical treatments only, two articles addressed hypoglossal nerve stimulation and one article addressed both surgical and medical treatments. Findings were similar across most studies where the obstructive apnoea hypopnoea index (oAHI) was reduced post intervention however given the heterogeneity in methodology and patient demographics, results were not directly comparable. Limited evidence was found regarding BMI and outcome post-surgery, suggesting that those who were normal weight or overweight had a significant reduction in the oAHI, compared to those who were obese. The most optimal treatment for the management of residual obstructive sleep apnoea remains uncertain. There are various treatment options described in the literature, however, they have not been thoroughly studied, with only eight relevant articles found. Studies comparing outcomes following different treatment interventions and using consistent parameters are required to gain further understanding of the most optimal treatment for residual obstructive sleep apnoea in this population. Understanding if specific phenotypic features, such as weight, influence response to therapy will also be important. This information will help to develop treatment algorithms, which will assist in improving patient care by directing treatment and ensuring a more consistent approach to overall management. The high prevalence of residual obstructive sleep apnoea in children with Down Syndrome following first line treatment makes this a clinically important area to target in this particular cohort of children to avoid long term complications of untreated OSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common problem in children and can result in developmental and cognitive complications if untreated. The gold-standard tool for diagnosis is polysomnography (PSG); however, it is an expensive and time-consuming test to undertake. Overnight oximetry has been suggested as a faster and cheaper initial test in comparison to PSG as it can be performed at home using limited, reusable equipment. This retrospective case control study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a home oximetry service (implemented in response to extended waiting times for routine PSG) in reducing the time between patient referral and treatment. Patients undergoing diagnostic sleep evaluation for suspected OSA who utilized the Queensland Children's Hospital screening home oximetry service in the first year since its inception in 2021 (n = 163) were compared to a historical group of patients who underwent PSG in 2018 (n = 311). Parameters compared between the two groups included time from sleep physician review to sleep test, ENT review, and definitive treatment in the form of adenotonsillectomy surgery (or CPAP initiation for those who had already undergone surgery). The time from sleep physician review and request of the sleep-related study to ENT surgical treatment was significantly reduced (187 days for the HITH oximetry group vs 359 days for the comparable PSG group; p-value <0.05), and time from sleep study request to the report of results was significantly lower for patients in the oximetry group compared to those in the PSG group (11 days vs 105 days; p-value <0.05). These results suggest that for children referred to a tertiary sleep center for possible obstructive sleep disordered breathing, a home oximetry service can be effective in assisting sleep evaluation and reducing the time to OSA treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describe the spectrum of OSA across time in infants and children with Down syndrome. Retrospective records review of children who underwent formal polysomnography (PSG) in one of two Australian tertiary sleep centres over selected 3.5-year periods. 152 children were identified, then all sleep study and treatment records were retrieved for the lifetime of the child through 2018. 3.8 ± 3.2 studies (range 1–17) were retrieved per child and 38.2% had mild disease at worst. Children having only 1 study were more likely to have a normal or mild result than those having ≥2 (chi-square 11.25, p -value 0.0008) Studies were more often severe in children age <2 compared to those ≥2 years, (chi-square 12.87, p = 0.005). After age 2 years, OSA severity increased with age. Amongst 91 (56.4%) children with ≥2 studies, 71 (78.0%) had moderate or severe disease at some time. Studies evaluating the effects of surgery (most often adenotonsillectomy) showed resolution of disease to mild or normal in 53.3%. Where ≥2 studies were evaluated, the last study polarised towards normal or mild disease 40 (44.0%), or treatment titrations 34 (37.4%) with moderate or severe disease in 17 (18.7%). In a tertiary sleep unit, a full spectrum of sleep disordered breathing in Down syndrome was seen from infancy onwards. Children having only one study were more likely to have normal results. Children with multiple studies reflected disease surveillance, including follow-up after treatment interventions. • Moderate/severe OSA is more common in DS children attending specialist referral centres (44.4%) than in population studies. • Moderate/severe OSA is highest in infants <12 months old (68%) compared to 42% of those >2 years of age. • Reviewing published cohorts, 29.4% of children with Down syndrome studied at specialist centres do not have OSA. • Children with only one study are more likely to have normal results. • Children with multiple studies progress towards normal or treated studies over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]