Association between ankyloglossia and pediatric obstructive sleep apnea: A retrospective cohort study using a global health network

Objective

Pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects an estimated 1–3 % of children, corresponding to over 40 million cases globally. While obesity and adenotonsillar hypertrophy are well-established pediatric risk factors, the potential role of ankyloglossia remains underexplored. We evaluated whether a diagnosis of ankyloglossia is associated with an increased risk of developing OSA in children.

Methods

Retrospective cohort study of 3,535,879 pediatric patients from the TriNetX Global Collaborative Network (143 healthcare organizations). Two cohorts were defined based on the presence or absence of an ankyloglossia diagnosis and the subsequent development of OSA over a follow-up period of up to 10 years. Propensity score matching controlled for confounders. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and log-rank testing assessed OSA-free survival.

Results

Among the 37,640 children who developed OSA during follow-up (62.2 % male; mean age 2.8 ± 3.6 years), those in the ankyloglossia group were diagnosed at an earlier age (median 1525 vs. 1877 days). The rate of OSA diagnosis was higher in the ankyloglossia group: 6.1 % vs. 4.0 % (risk difference 2.1 %, 95 % CI: 1.8–2.4; RR: 1.53; OR: 1.56; P < 0.001) These values reflect outcomes from the propensity score–matched cohorts. Frenotomy did not significantly impact OSA survival probability.

Conclusion

The diagnosis of ankyloglossia is associated with increased and earlier pediatric OSA risk. Frenotomy, as captured in this dataset, was not associated with a lower risk. These findings do not support or exclude a therapeutic role for frenotomy and highlight the need for further prospective research.