Optimizing Early Detection: Validating Obstructive Sleep Apnea-18 (OSA-18) in Turkish-Speaking Pediatric Patients

Objective: Quality of life (QoL) assessments are increasingly important for evaluating the well-being of children with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS). This study’s objective is to culturally adapt and validate the Turkish version of the OSA-18 questionnaire, a commonly used tool for assessing QoL in children with OSAS. Methods: The OSA-18 questionnaire was translated and culturally adapted for use in the Turkish-speaking population. The study was conducted with 180 participants, 100 boys and 80 girls, with a mean age of 6.16±2.14 years. The participants were divided into two groups. The patient group comprised individuals with symptoms of OSAS based on clinical evaluation, including anamnesis, physical examination, and video recording of apnea and snoring. The patient group underwent adenotonsillectomy and their caregivers completed the Turkish version of the OSA-18 scale postoperatively. The control group comprised 90 children who were similar to the patient group in terms of gender and age. These children had no major complaints such as snoring, apnea, fatigue during the day, irritability, or distraction. In the physical examination of this group, no major tonsillar or adenoid hypertrophy, which causes significant stenosis in the upper airway, was observed. Internal consistency, reliability, validity, responsiveness, and factor analysis were assessed. Results: The Turkish version of the OSA-18 questionnaire demonstrated excellent reliability, with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.929. The test-retest results were not statistically different. Validity was confirmed through a positive correlation between the OSA-18 score and external parameters, such as the Mallampati score, and tonsil and adenoid size. We found a statistically significant reduction in OSA-18 scores postoperatively, signifying a robust responsiveness to the intervention. Conclusion: Our study confirms the suitability of the Turkish OSA-18 questionnaire for assessing the QoL in children with OSAS. This quick and easy-to-use tool will be valuable for future research on Turkish-speaking children with OSAS, aiding in the evaluation of pediatric OSAS and QoL.