OBJECTIVETo study the impact in response control, attention and hyperactivity behavior on children with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) by the integrated visual and auditory continuous performance test (IVA-CPT).

METHODSFifty-one children aged between 5 and 12 years were diagnosed as OSAHS by polysomnography (PSG), and received adenotonsillectomy and adenoidectomy or only adenoidectomy. Then received IVA-CPT and PSG before surgery, 3 months after surgery and 6 months after surgery (named as first, second and third time point). These children were divided into two groups according to the disease course (group A: course of disease < 5 years; group B: course of disease ≥ 5 years). The SPSS 19.0 was used for statistical analysis.

RESULTSBy balanced test, there were no differences in gender, body mass index (BMI) and disease severity among the two groups before surgery (P > 0.05). The numbers of children with abnormal psychological behavior at three time points were 32 (62.7%), 25 (49.0%) and 8 (15.7%). The abnormal rate did not show statistical difference between the first and second time point (χ(2) = 1.49, P = 0.163), but did show statistical difference between the second and third time point (χ(2) = 12.95, P < 0.001). Repetitive measurement and analysis of variance showed that there were statistical differences in means of FRCQ, FAQ and HYP between three time points in two groups (F were 342.15, 263.12, 380.57, P < 0.001), and all the means improved with time. It also showed that there were statistical differences in means of FRCQ, FAQ and HYP between two groups at every time point (F were 167.05, 126.47, 117.683, P < 0.001). FRCQ and HYP all showed interation effect between two groups (P < 0.001). Means of apnea hypopnea index (AHI) and lowest arterial (LaSO2) were compared between three time points in two groups and all showed statistical differences (F were 99.057, 70.742, P < 0.001). Means of AHI and LaSO2 were compared between two groups at every time point. AHI and LaSO2 did not show statistical difference (P > 0.05). AHI and LaSO2 did not exist interation effect of disease course and time.

CONCLUSIONSOSAHS obviously affect the children's response control, attention and hyperactivity behavior, but can recover gradually after adenotonsillectomy and adenoidectomy or only adenoidectomy. Therefore, Children with OSAHS should receive treatment as early as possible so as to reduce the influence on psychology.