Association of Long-Term Risk of Respiratory, Allergic, and Infectious Diseases With Removal of Adenoids and Tonsils in Childhood

Abstract

<div class="section"> <a class="named-anchor" id="ab-ooi180026-1"> <!-- named anchor --> </a> <h5 class="section-title" id="d817787e285">Questions</h5> <p id="d817787e287">Are there long-term health risks after having adenoids or tonsils removed in childhood?</p> </div><div class="section"> <a class="named-anchor" id="ab-ooi180026-2"> <!-- named anchor --> </a> <h5 class="section-title" id="d817787e290">Findings</h5> <p id="d817787e292">In this population-based cohort study of almost 1.2 million children, removal of adenoids or tonsils in childhood was associated with significantly increased relative risk of later respiratory, allergic, and infectious diseases. Increases in long-term absolute disease risks were considerably larger than changes in risk for the disorders these surgeries aim to treat. </p> </div><div class="section"> <a class="named-anchor" id="ab-ooi180026-3"> <!-- named anchor --> </a> <h5 class="section-title" id="d817787e295">Meaning</h5> <p id="d817787e297">The long-term risks of these surgeries deserve careful consideration.</p> </div><p class="first" id="d817787e300">This population-based cohort study examines the risk for respiratory, allergic, and infectious diseases following surgical removal of adenoids, tonsils, or both in children durring the first 9 years of life. </p><div class="section"> <a class="named-anchor" id="ab-ooi180026-4"> <!-- named anchor --> </a> <h5 class="section-title" id="d817787e304">Importance</h5> <p id="d817787e306">Surgical removal of adenoids and tonsils to treat obstructed breathing or recurrent middle-ear infections remain common pediatric procedures; however, little is known about their long-term health consequences despite the fact that these lymphatic organs play important roles in the development and function of the immune system. </p> </div><div class="section"> <a class="named-anchor" id="ab-ooi180026-5"> <!-- named anchor --> </a> <h5 class="section-title" id="d817787e309">Objective</h5> <p id="d817787e311">To estimate long-term disease risks associated with adenoidectomy, tonsillectomy, and adenotonsillectomy in childhood. </p> </div><div class="section"> <a class="named-anchor" id="ab-ooi180026-6"> <!-- named anchor --> </a> <h5 class="section-title" id="d817787e314">Design, Setting, and Participants</h5> <p id="d817787e316">A population-based cohort study of up to 1 189 061 children born in Denmark between 1979 and 1999 and evaluated in linked national registers up to 2009, covering at least the first 10 and up to 30 years of their life, was carried out. Participants in the case and control groups were selected such that their health did not differ significantly prior to surgery. </p> </div><div class="section"> <a class="named-anchor" id="ab-ooi180026-7"> <!-- named anchor --> </a> <h5 class="section-title" id="d817787e319">Exposures</h5> <p id="d817787e321">Participants were classified as exposed if adenoids or tonsils were removed within the first 9 years of life. </p> </div><div class="section"> <a class="named-anchor" id="ab-ooi180026-8"> <!-- named anchor --> </a> <h5 class="section-title" id="d817787e324">Main Outcomes and Measures</h5> <p id="d817787e326">The incidence of disease (defined by <i>International Classification of Diseases, Eighth Revision [ICD-8]</i> and <i>Tenth Revision [ICD-10]</i> diagnoses) up to age 30 years was examined using stratified Cox proportional hazard regressions that adjusted for 18 covariates, including parental disease history, pregnancy complications, birth weight, Apgar score, sex, socioeconomic markers, and region of Denmark born. </p> </div><div class="section"> <a class="named-anchor" id="ab-ooi180026-9"> <!-- named anchor --> </a> <h5 class="section-title" id="d817787e335">Results</h5> <p id="d817787e337">A total of up to 1 189 061 children were included in this study (48% female); 17 460 underwent adenoidectomy, 11 830 tonsillectomy, and 31 377 adenotonsillectomy; 1 157 684 were in the control group. Adenoidectomy and tonsillectomy were associated with a 2- to 3-fold increase in diseases of the upper respiratory tract (relative risk [RR], 1.99; 95% CI, 1.51-2.63 and RR, 2.72; 95% CI, 1.54-4.80; respectively). Smaller increases in risks for infectious and allergic diseases were also found: adenotonsillectomy was associated with a 17% increased risk of infectious diseases (RR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.10-1.25) corresponding to an absolute risk increase of 2.14% because these diseases are relatively common (12%) in the population. In contrast, the long-term risks for conditions that these surgeries aim to treat often did not differ significantly and were sometimes lower or higher. </p> </div><div class="section"> <a class="named-anchor" id="ab-ooi180026-10"> <!-- named anchor --> </a> <h5 class="section-title" id="d817787e340">Conclusions and Relevance</h5> <p id="d817787e342">In this study of almost 1.2 million children, of whom 17 460 had adenoidectomy, 11 830 tonsillectomy, and 31 377 adenotonsillectomy, surgeries were associated with increased long-term risks of respiratory, infectious, and allergic diseases. Although rigorous controls for confounding were used where such data were available, it is possible these effects could not be fully accounted for. Our results suggest it is important to consider long-term risks when making decisions to perform tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy. </p> </div>