Hyperactivity and attention deficit syndrome in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: is there improvement with surgical management?

UNLABELLED Neuropsychological disorders are frequently associated with obstructive ventilatory disorders (OVD). AIM To analyze the incidence of neuropsychological disorders in Brazilian children with OVD, using a screening questionnaire and to compare the answers given before and after surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS We studied 30 children with clinical diagnosis of OVD. The children were divided into 3 groups: group I, children aged 4 to 7; group II, from 8 to 10; and group III, children over 11. The applied questionnaires were answered by the parents or tutors, and comprised 30 questions, 10 for each disorder: attention deficit, hyperactivity and impulsivity. The children were diagnosed with one of the disorders when presented 3 or more positive answers. The follow up interview occurred 6 months after adenotonsillectomy. RESULTS There was a predominance of male gender (60.6%) over female gender (39.4%). Group II presented the highest number of significant changes, with reductions raging from 87.5% to 33.3% of patients with attention deficit, 75% to 50% of the hyperactive patients, and 50% to 33% of the impulsive patients. CONCLUSION There was neuropsychological improvement after the surgery, which occurred mainly in the children from group II. More interaction among health professionals is necessary when diagnosing and following up similar cases.