Craniofacial risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea—systematic review and meta‐analysis

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is caused by temporary partial or complete constriction of the upper airway during sleep which leads to reduced blood oxygen and cardiovascular risks. Main symptoms vary between adults and children leading to misdiagnosis or delayed patient identification. To improve early diagnosis, lateral cephalograms can provide craniofacial measurements associated with a higher risk of OSA. In order to identify the most relevant craniofacial measurements, a systematic literature review with meta-analysis was conducted combining the terms 'orthodontic*', 'craniofacial', 'cephalometr*', 'cephalogram', 'OSA*', 'UARS', 'SDB', 'sleep disordered breathing', 'sleep apnea' and 'sleep apnoea'. Of 3016 publications, 19 were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis, 15 with adult patients and four with children. A total of 16 measurements (six angles, 10 distances) were compared, nine showed a possible influence in patients with OSA compared to controls: NSBa angle (-0.28°), ANB angle (+0.33°), ML-NSL angle (+0.34°), Me-Go-Ar angle (+0.33°), SN distance (-0.70 mm), N-ANS distance (-0.36 mm), MP-H distance (+1.18 mm), uvula length (+1.07 mm) and thickness (+0.96 mm). Posterior airway measurements were not sufficiently described or comparably measured to be statistically analysed. There is some evidence for altered craniofacial anatomy in patients with OSA compared to controls. Lateral cephalograms should be screened for these aspects routinely to improve early diagnosis of OSA and craniofacial orthopaedics should complement the interdisciplinary treatment plan for young patients with OSA.