Comparing two pediatric sleep questionnaires: The Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ) and a set of 6 hierarchically-arranged questions (6Q)

Objective To compare the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ) and a less time-consuming set of 6 hierarchically - arranged questions (6Q) as they relate to the pre-test probability for sleep apnea in pediatric patients. Methods Parents of 116 subjects between the ages of 7 and 17 answered two sleep questionnaires (the PSQ and the 6Q) distributed in random order before the subjects had sleep studies. Correlation coefficients were used for apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) prediction, while the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated for sleep apnea classification prediction. Results The 6Q showed statistical significance, while the more commonly used PSQ did not, both in terms of correlating with AHI (rho = 0.294,p= 0.001) and predicting moderate and severe sleep apnea (AUC = 0.650 and 0.788, respectively). Conclusion Although additional field validation is required, these pediatric sleep questionnaires are sensitive and easy-to-use screening tools that can greatly help in the screening for pediatric sleep apnea.