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. 2012 May 3;2(1):20–24. doi: 10.1016/S2212-4268(12)60006-2

Relationship between growth of facial morphology and chronologic age in preschool children with obstructive sleep apnea

Shigeto Kawashima a,b,*, Koichiro Ueda a, Mitsuyo Shinohara a, Mikiko Mano b, Haruhide Kanegae b, Shunsuke Namaki c
PMCID: PMC3941661  PMID: 25756027

Abstract

Background

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between facial morphology using cephalometry and chronologic age in preschool children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Materials and Methods

From a group of lateral cephalometric radiographs taken of 35 children with OSA for diagnostic purposes, 15 were selected for the present investigation based on head position. The subjects consisted of preschool children with both OSA and primary dentition, all of them with a lowest documented SpO2 <90% and a lowest 0 <AI. The control group included 15 preschool children with primary dentition and without enlarged tonsils or adenoids.

Results

The present findings reveal that, compared to the controls, OSA children had a narrower pharyngeal airway space related to OSA. In addition, we found that, although there were direct correlations between heights, nasal floor and corpus length, with chronologic age in the controls, there was no significant correlation between height, nasal floor length or corpus length with age in the OSA children.

Conclusion

Obstructive sleep apnea in children may be associated with growth disturbances of the nasal floor and corpus length.

Keywords: Children, growth, OSA, pharynx, weight

Full Text

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