Investigating factors influencing post-operative growth in pre-pubertal children after adenotonsillectomy

Purpose To check the change in growth-for-age after adenotonsillectomy in pre-pubertal children and investigate the affecting factors. Methods Two hundred and six pediatric patients who underwent adenotonsillectomy by a single surgeon between January 2011 and December 2014 were included for the retrospective cohort study. The z -scores of height-, weight-, and body mass index (BMI)-for-age were measured before adenotonsillectomy and 1 year after the operation. The Korean version of the obstructive sleep apnea-18 questionnaire (OSA-18), symptom questionnaire, physical examinations, demographic data, and pre-operative z -scores were used to analyze the factors affecting z -score change. Results Among 206 pediatric patients, 167 patients were normal growth; 19 were undergrowth; and 20 were obese. After the operation, height, weight, and BMI z -scores all increased both in 167 normal-growth patients and 19 undergrowth patients ( p value