Craniofacial and pharyngeal airway morphology in patients with acromegaly

• Published in: Acta odontologica Scandinavica Vol. 73; no. 6; p. 433
• Main Authors: Balos Tuncer, Burcu, Canigur Bavbek, Nehir, Ozkan, Cigdem, Tuncer, Cumhur, Eroglu Altinova, Alev, Gungor, Kahraman, Akturk, Mujde, Balos Toruner, Fusun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01-08-2015
• Subjects: Acromegaly - pathology; Adult; Axis, Cervical Vertebra - pathology; Cephalometry - methods; Cervical Atlas - pathology; Facial Bones - pathology; Female; Frontal Bone - pathology; Humans; Hyoid Bone - pathology; Male; Mandible - pathology; Middle Aged; Nasal Bone - pathology; Palate, Soft - pathology; Pharynx - pathology; Sella Turcica - pathology; Skull - pathology; Skull Base - pathology; Uvula - pathology; Young Adult; acromegaly; pharyngeal airway; craniofacial morphology; upper spine morphology
• ISSN: 1502-3850
• DOI: 10.3109/00016357.2014.979868

The aim of this study was to assess differences in craniofacial characteristics, upper spine and pharyngeal airway morphology in patients with acromegaly compared with healthy individuals.
Twenty-one patients with acromegaly were compared with 22 controls by linear and angular measurements on cephalograms. The differences between the mean values of cephalometric parameters were analyzed with Mann-Whitney U-test.
With respect to controls, anterior (p<0.05), middle (p<0.01) and posterior (p<0.05) cranial base lengths were increased, sella turcica was enlarged (p<0.001) and upper spine morphology demonstrated differences in the height of atlas (p<0.01) and axis (p<0.05) in patients with acromegaly. Craniofacial changes were predominantly found in the frontal bone (p<0.01) and the mandible (p<0.05). As for the airway, patients with acromegaly exhibited diminished dimensions at nasal (p<0.001), uvular (p<0.01), mandibular (p<0.01) pharyngeal levels and at the narrowest point of the pharyngeal airway space (p<0.001) compared to healthy controls. Soft palate width was significantly higher (p<0.001) and the hyoid bone was more vertically positioned (p<0.01) in patients with acromegaly.
Current results point to the importance of the reduced airway dimensions and that dentists and/or orthodontists should be aware of the cranial or dental abnormalities in patients with acromegaly.