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Skeletal Maturation in Patients With Cleft Lip and/or Palate: A Systematic Review
Xiaoyi Wu1,2, Wenying Kuang3,2, Jie Zheng3,2
1School of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Hubei, People's Republic of China.
Objective:
The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate the evidence regarding skeletal maturation in patients with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) and to investigate whether the skeletal maturation is delayed in these patients.
Design:
Systematic review.
Methods:
Electronic and manual searches of scientific literature were conducted in 4 databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science). Cohort studies that compared the skeletal maturation of patients with CL/P with that of children without CL/P were eligible for inclusion. The quality of included cohort studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.
Patients And Participants:
Patients of any sex and ethnicity with CL/P and children without CL/P were included in this systematic review.
Main Outcome Measures:
Difference in skeletal maturation between patients with CL/P and patients without CL/P.
Results:
Thirteen retrospective cohort studies were included in this systematic review. Ten studies were considered of high quality and 3 were considered of general quality. The results of the included studies comparing skeletal maturation of patients with CL/P and children without CL/P were heterogeneous.
Conclusion:
Heterogeneity of skeletal maturation assessment methods, chronological age, sex, cleft type, and race may influence the final results of clinical studies on skeletal maturation in patients with CL/P. Overall, there is limited evidence to determine whether the skeletal maturation level of patients with CL/P is delayed compared to that of normal children. Further studies are needed to determine the skeletal maturation patterns in patients with CL/P.
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