Title: Craniofacial morphology in preschool children with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome
Abstract: Aim Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) is a common
problem in children. It is characterised by a combination of
partial airway obstruction associated with hypoxemia and
hypoventilation and intermittent obstructive apnoea, which
disrupts normal ventilation and sleep. The aim of the study was
to evaluate the craniofacial features of preschool children with
polysomnographic diagnosis of OSAS, using measurements
from standardized lateral cephalograms according to the
floating norms cephalometric analysis. Materials and
methods 21 untreated caucasian children (mean age of 4.57
+/-0.6) with complete deciduous dentition were included in
this study. All the subjects had diagnosis of OSAS with a
positive RDI. Pretreatment cephalometric radiographs were
evaluated. Statistical method Descriptive statistics includes
mean and standard deviation of the cephalometric variables.
Conclusion The present study showed that OSAS preschool
children showed a skeletal Class II pattern with retrognathic
mandible and increased skeletal divergency.