Craniofacial morphology in children with obstructive sleep apnea

Objectives: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a Sleep disorder breathing in children associated with facial and skeletal features. The aim of current study was to identify craniofacial features associated with OSA in Colombian children
Methods: This study was approval by ethical committee of Medicine faculty of Pontificia Universidad Javeriana and Hospital Universitario San Ignacio. 43 children from 6-13 years old were selected for cephalometric measurements. All patients had been studied trough polisomnography. Cases were represented for 19 children with OSA and 24 children without OSA were grouped as controls (the average age in the sample was 8 years old). Cephalometric variables analyzed were: cranial length anteroposterior (SN), skeletal classification (ANB), effective mandibular and maxillary length (Co-Pg) (Co-A), sagittal position of maxillary and mandible (N┴A) (N┴Pg), mandibular plane angle (FH-PM), Ricketts growth axis angle (Ba-N/Ptm-Gn), upper and lower pharynx and hyoid Bone position (HPM). Qualitative variables were analyzed using Chi-square and Fisher tests; quantitative variables using Student T-test. To evaluate the relationship between cephalometric features and OSA, ORs (odds ratios) were calculated
Results: Cases showed decrease cranial base length (84.2% compared with controls 58.3%) and maxillary hypoplasia (OR=2,8) although the difference compared with controls was not statistically significant. Decrease Hyoid bone position (p=0,066; OR= 0,26 IC 95%: 0.87-16.7; p=0.076) and Maxillary prognathism (OR:3.82 IC 95%: 0.87-16.7; p=0.076) were more frequent in controls (OR: 0.26)
Conclusions: In the population analyzed in this study there was not association between craniofacial features and the presence of OSA, however the findings suggest that these features need to be investigated in futures studies