[Relationship between craniofacial and airway structure and pediatric obstructive sleep apnea and hyponea syndromes: a case-control study].

OBJECTIVE

The children obstructive sleep apnea and hyponea syndromes has become a global research hot spot, but the research of craniofacial features in obstructive sleep apnea and hyponea syndromes (OSAHS) children was scarce. To evaluate the craniofacial features of obstructive sleep apnea and hyponea syndromes children.

METHODS

The subjects involved in this study fell into two groups: the patient group and the control one. The patients and controls were strictly matched by age and sex. Lateral head radiographs and cephalometric measurements were obtained and then compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

The findings demonstrated marked differences in terms of SNB, PG-NB, lower facial height, H-C3Me and A&T/P. The SNB angle (75.8±4.3) in the patient group was smaller than that in the control one (78.7±2.6) and the P value was 0.035; the PG/NB value in the patient group (1.3±0.8) mm was higher than that in the control one (0.6±0.6) mm and the P value was 0.02. The anterior face height was (65.1±5.9) mm in the patient group (P=0.04), while the anterior face height in the control group was (61.5±3.2) mm. The position of hyoid was lower in the patient group(5.3±3.7) mm, compared with the control one (2.6±2.6) mm, and the P value was 0.03. Furthermore, the patients of OSAHS had more swelled adenoids and tonsils than the controls.

CONCLUSION

The patient group differed from the control group in the length of mandible, lower facial height, position of hyoid and the chin, and the size of the adenoids and tonsils.