Evaluation of children with chest deformities in earthquake region

<bold>Introduction:</bold> Chest deformities are clinically significant even if they are asymptomatic. The aim was to investigate the clinical characteristics and sleep scores of children with chest deformities. <bold>Methods:</bold> Demographic, clinical, radiological findings, sleep symptoms and scores of children who applied to Pediatric Pulmonology Clinic due to chest deformity after the earthquake in the earthquake region were evaluated. <bold>Results:</bold> There were 32 children, with a median age of 6(0.5-17) years. Pectus excavatum(PE) was present in 14(43.8%), pectus carinatum(PC) in 17(53.1%) children. The median age at which deformity was noticed was 4.5(0.3-16.5) years, and median duration from noticing to admission was 8(0-72) months. Three (9.4%) children were trapped under debris during an earthquake. Five (15.6%) children had complaints, 3(60%) of which had shortness of breath. All patients had a chest X-ray and 21 (65.6%) were normal. Two (6.3%) children had thoracic CT. Respiratory function tests were performed in 10(31.3%) children; median values of FEV1, FVC, and FEV1/FVC were 118.5(75-145)%, 102(67-129)%, and 118(114-188), respectively. Sleep scales were applied to 20(62.5%) children; snoring was observed in 8(40%) and apnea was in 3(15%). Clinically significant sleep disorders were in 2(10%) children. There was no significant difference between age at which the deformity was noticed, duration from noticing to admission, and sleep T-score among children with PE and PC (p=0.518, p=0.297, p=0.661). <bold>Conclusions:</bold> The type of chest deformities does not affect the age at which they are noticed, the duration from noticing to admission, or the sleep scale score in children. Follow-up of children with chest deformities is necessary.