Comparison of Two Reeducation Methods in Children With Persistent Sleep Apnea, a Randomized Controlled Trial

Paediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea (PedOSA) is a multifactorial condition, associated with significant comorbidities, affecting cardiovascular health, cognitive development and quality of life. Its main cause is adenotonsillar hypertrophy, but some co-factors such as obesity, orofacial dysfunctions and craniofacial abnormalities contribute to the severity of symptoms or their persistance after adeno-tonsillectomy.

Aim : Myofunctional therapy has been shown to reduce Apnea-Hyponea indexes (AHI) of children, and can serve as an adjunct to other therapies, but the level of compliance is a limiting factor. The investigator's aim is to evaluate the effectiveness of Passive Oral Myofunctional Reeducation (a flexible oral appliance) in a group a children scheduled for adeno-tonsillectomy (in association with nasal hygiene) and to compare them with nasal hygiene alone (control group).

Methods : The design of the study is a randomized Controlled Trial, enrolling 60 children with significant obstructive sleep apnea and divided into 2 groups : Group 1 using of a flexible oral appliance during quiet activities and sleep (+nasal hygiene), and Group 2 using nasal hygiene alone (control group). The objective assessment of sleep parameters is performed at home using an ambulatory device (AHI, desaturation index, minimal oxygen saturation, flow limitation, snoring), before and after therapy, in a 3-month interval. An orthodontic and craniofacial assessment, the examination of orofacial functions and tongue/lip strength measurements (IOPI system), as well as quality of life questionnaires (OSA-18) are also performed on participants, before and after therapy.

Inclusion criteria

participants must:

• present signs of obstructive sleep apnea: snoring, apnea / respiratory pauses audible by the entourage (objectivized by a score, to the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ) , greater than or equal to 0.33- This questionnaire comprises twenty-two Questions and has a good sensitivity (83%) and specificity (87%) in screening for pediatric sleep apnea.
• be programmed for adenoidectomy, tonsillectomy or adeno-tonsillectomy within 3 months (or more).

Exclusion criteria

participants should not:

• present with a craniofacial syndrome nor a severe medical condition with complex medical management,
• present with an abnormality of the neuromuscular tone (such as Duchenne myopathy or cerebral palsy)
• receive orthodontic therapy during the study
• have a class III malocclusion (mandibular prognathy type), for which a propulsion oral appliance is contraindicated because it may aggravate mandibular prominence. Maxillary deficiency is not a exclusion criterion.
• A non-nutritive oral habit such as digital sucking (or pacifier) that persists because it interferes with oral reeducation and is a contraindication to orthodontic treatments. Children who have recently stopped such a habit may be included in the study.