RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To assess what was the cause of weight loss in children in early postoperative period after tonsilloadenoidectomy. DESING AND SETTING: Prospective study conducted at Department of ENT, Head and Neck Surgery, General Hospital "Dr. Josip Bencevic" Slavonski Brod, Croatia. SUBJECTS: In total 31 patients aged 6-22 years that underwent tonsilloadenoidectomy. METHODS: The study was performed using specially designed questionnaires from January 2017 until August 2017. Results of pain assessment and administrated analgesic therapy, postoperative complications and inception of eating were completed through the questionnaire. During the study, children were weighed before tonsilloadenoidectomy, 24 h after tonsilloadenoidectomy and the seventh postoperative day where age, height, weight, body fat, body mass index (BMI), muscle mass and body water were recorded. Weighing was performed by the "Body Structure Analyzer BC-420MA" TANITA. RESULTS: Data analysis revealed a significant reduction in mass, body fat, body mass index (BMI) and muscle mass in the children up to 10 years of age, as well as in the children that were 11 years and older. In children up to 10 years of age, there was no significant change in body water (%), while body water in the group of patients aged 11 and over was significantly higher on the seventh postoperative day (Friedman test, P = 0.02). In the total sample, there was a significant decrease in body weight, body fat (%), body mass index and muscle mass (Friedman test, P < 0.001), while there was a significant increase in body water (Friedman test, P = 0.003). There is no significant correlation between pain intensity and individual parameter change in all subjects, nor in age groups. CONCLUSION: Water is an important factor of muscle mass. It plays an essential role in musle repair and growth, since it's crucial for protein synthesis. Poorly hydrated muscle loses it's weight, since musle cells don't have enough water in themselves. Good hydratation, especially among children up to 10 years old in early post tonsilloadenoidectomy period is important to keep muscular mass and power.