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Measurements of craniofacial morphology using photogrammetry in children with sleep-disordered breathing
Wan-Yi Hsueh1, Kun-Tai Kang2, Chung-Chen Jane Yao3
1Department of Otolaryngology, Hsinchu Cathay General Hospital, Hsinchu, Taiwan; Department of Otolaryngology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yuanpei University of Medical Technology, Hsinchu, Taiwan; Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Insights
Photogrammetry shows increased mandibular inclination in children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This finding suggests steep mandibular planes may predict pediatric OSA, warranting further study.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Sleep Medicine
- Craniofacial Imaging
- Respiratory Physiology
Background:
- Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) affects children's health and development.
- Assessing craniofacial morphology is crucial for understanding SDB.
- Non-radiation methods are preferred for pediatric assessments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate craniofacial morphology in children with SDB using photogrammetry.
- To determine if photogrammetry can identify predictors of pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
Main Methods:
- Children aged 3-18 with SDB symptoms underwent photogrammetry and polysomnography (PSG).
- Participants were grouped into OSA (apnea-hypopnea index [AHI] ≥1) and non-OSA (AHI <1) groups.
- Propensity score matching was used for age, sex, and BMI percentiles; logistic regression analyzed associations.
Main Results:
- Fifty-eight children were analyzed after matching.
- Increased mandibular plane angles (mego-tn, tn-gogn, gome-tsup) were observed in the OSA group.
- Steeper mandibular inclination was significantly associated with OSA likelihood (P < .05).
Conclusions:
- Craniofacial photogrammetry identified increased mandibular inclination in children with OSA.
- A steep mandibular plane may serve as a potential predictor for pediatric OSA.
- Larger studies are needed to confirm photogrammetry's validity in pediatric OSA evaluation.
Objective:
To assess the craniofacial morphology in children with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) using nonradiation and readily accessible photogrammetry technique.
Methods:
Included children aged 3-18 years with SDB-related symptoms from April 2019 to February 2020 in a tertiary center. All participants underwent craniofacial photogrammetry and overnight polysomnography (PSG). Participants were stratified into 2 groups (obstructive sleep apnea [OSA] group: apnea-hypopnea index [AHI] ≥ 1 and non-OSA group: AHI <1). Craniofacial photogrammetry was performed to derive variables of craniofacial features in standardized frontal and profile views. The 2 groups were propensity score matched based on age, sex, and body mass index (BMI) percentiles. Associations between craniofacial feature variables and OSA (AHI ≥1) likelihood were examined using logistic regression test. intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to evaluate the intrarater and interrater reliability.
Results:
In total, 58 children were enrolled for the analysis after matching. All 3 variables representing the mandibular plane angle in the profile view were increased in the OSA group (mego-tn: 34.85 ± 5.99 vs 31.65 ± 5.96°, odds ratio [OR]: 1.10, 95% CI:1.02 to 1.18, P = .01; tn-gogn: 28.65 ± 6.38 vs 25.91 ± 5.38°, OR: 1.08, 95% CI:1.02 to 1.15, P = .012; and gome-tsup: 26.71 ± 6.13 vs 22.20 ± 5.89°, OR: 1.13, 95% CI:1.04 to 1.23, P = .003).
Conclusions:
Craniofacial photogrammetry revealed increased mandibular inclination in children with OSA. A steep mandibular plane with craniofacial photogrammetry is considered a potential predictor of pediatric OSA. Further investigation with a large sample size is required to clarify the validity of photogrammetry in evaluating pediatric OSA.
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