Table 2.
Characteristics of the included tests.
| Study | Compadretti et al., 2006 | Cappellette Jr. et al., 2017 | Izuka et al., 2015 | Matsumoto et al., 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Design | Non-randomized controlled clinical trial | Non-randomized controlled clinical trial | Non-randomized uncontrolled clinical trial | Non-randomized uncontrolled clinical trial |
| Patients | 27 children: 13 boys, 14 girls | 23 children: 11 boys, 12 girls | 25 children | 29 children |
| Age | Mean of 5–13 years (SD = 9.5 years ± 2.1) | Mean of 9.6 years (SD = 2.3 years) | Mean of 10.5 years (6–13 years, SD = 2.2) | 7–10 years |
| Previous features | Upper arch constriction | Upper arch constriction | Mouth breathing | Mouth breathing |
| Absence of natural causes for nasal respiratory failure | Mouth breathing | Maxillary atresia | Mixed dentures | |
| Mixed dentures | Posterior crossbite | Unilateral or bilateral posterior crossbite | ||
| Enlarged adenoids | Nasal obstruction | |||
| Obstructive septum | ||||
| Further tests | RMM | Quality of life questionnaire | Quality of life questionnaire | Acoustic Rhinometry |
| AR | EOL: Rhinoscopy; Oroscopy; Nasal fibroendoscopy | EOL: Rhinoscopy; Oroscopy; Nasal fibroendoscopy | Computerized Rhinomanometry | |
| Audiometry | ||||
| Tympanometry | Nasal fibroscopy | |||
| PA X-rays: Internasal distance; Interzygomatic distance; Intermaxillary distance | Orthodontic examination: atresia of the upper arch; 3 min test with closed lips; Computed tomography (before RME and 3 months after RME) | Computed tomography | PA X-rays: NC-NC (corresponding to the internasal width); JL-JL (corresponding to maxillary width) | |
| Group control | 24 children: 16 boys, 8 girls | 15 children: 9 boys, 6 girls | – | – |
| Age, control group | Mean of 8–12 years (10.2 years ± 1.5 SD) | 10.5 years (SD = 1.9 years) | – | – |
| Previous characteristics, control group | Without obstruction (confirmed by nasopharyngoscopy) | Not reported | – | – |
| Tests, control group | RAM and AR (first visit and after 11 months on average) | Computed Tomography (before RME and 3 months after RME) | – | – |
| Intervention | RME with Hyrax | RME with Hyrax | RME with Bierderman | RME with Haas |
| Country | Italy | Brazil | Brazil | Brazil |
| Follow-up | 12 months ± 0.8 SD (mean of 10.3–13.6 months) | 3 months | 3 months | 30 months |
| Dolphin Imaging v.11.7 software CT + Reconstruction | – | Volumetric measurements and comparisons between the images of both groups were taken to Dolphin and evaluated in “airway volume” in 3 views: sagittal, coronal, and axial. | Used to assess the patients' upper airway, using the following measures: ANF: width of the anterior portion of the nasal floor; PNF: width of the posterior portion of the nasal floor; VNN: volume of the nasopharynx and nasal cavity | – |
| Conclusion | The improvement in nasal breathing after RME is due to the significant increase in nasal width. | RME showed a significant increase in the transverse dimension of the maxilla and a significant increase in nasal and oropharyngeal volumes. | Significant increase in transverse maxillary distances and significant increase in nasal and oropharyngeal volumes. | RME significantly increased the maxillary and nasal transverse distances. |