A Cone Beam CT Study of Upper Airway Morphology in Perimenopausal and Postmenopausal Women

Menopause is accompanied by a decline in estrogen and progesterone. Several studies have demonstrated that upper airway patency decreases in women after menopause, while morphology changes are still a lack of evidence. This study aimed to explore upper airway morphology changes in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women.

This retrospective cross-sectional study included 367 consecutive Chinese female patients over 25 years old who had routinely taken large-field cone beam computed tomography in the imaging library of Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology from October 2016 to September 2020. A total of 283 males were screened as sex controls according to the same age group. Upper airway morphology, hyoid position and facial pattern were measured. The association between perimenopausal and postmenopausal years and upper airway morphology in both sexes was analyzed.

Perimenopausal women (aged 45-54 years) showed a significant decrease in the volume (3172.91mm³, 95% CI = 653.86-5691.96) and minimum cross-sectional area (37.08 mm², 95% CI = 5.36-68.80), and a significant increase in the length (-1.96mm, 95% CI = -3.62 to -0.29) of upper airway compared to adjacent reproductive years (aged 35-44), while this difference was neither seen in other adjacent two reproductive age groups of females nor in the same age groups of males. In postmenopausal women (55 years and older), hyoid position was significantly lower (-2.74mm, 95% CI = -4.42 to -1.07) than either age group, while no similar changes were seen in men.

Women had smaller airway volume, reduced upper airway cross-sectional area and longer airway length in perimenopausal years, and a significantly lower hyoid position in postmenopausal years. These changes may be related to menopause itself and independent of the changes associated with aging.