Craniofacial skeletal alterations in sickle cell anemia patients of Juiz de Fora

Abstract

The present study evaluated craniofacial skeletal characteristics of 30 black patients with sickle cell anemia. Their age ranged from 20 to 46 years-old and all of them were enrolled for treatment at Fundação Centro de Hematologia e Hemoterapia de Minas Gerais – Hemominas, in Juiz de Fora. After obtaining all the cephalometrics radiographs of the patients in lateral profile position, cephalometric tracings were done using specific angles of the analysis of Steiner and Downs, and comparing them with values founded by Fortes. Variables assessed in this study were SNA, SNB, ANB, SND, GoGn.SN angle, facial angle, convexity angle and Y axis angle. Angular measurements were them divided into tables and compared to standard values as described by these authors. Statistical analysis was performed using Student’s t-test. Significance level was set at 5%. For reliability evaluation, Student’s t-test with paired samples and Pearson correlation test were performed. In this study, variables that showed statistically significant difference between the mean of the values obtained and the standard value of each variable (p<0.05) were SNA, SNB, SND, GoGn.SN angle and convexity angle. Craniofacial skeletal alterations founded in these patients were: maxillary protrusion, mandibular retrusion, increase of mandibular plane and convex facial profile. These are characteristics of a Class II skeletal malocclusion, suggesting that sickle cell anemia is involved in the onset of these skeletal alterations. Keywords: Orthodontics, Sickle Cell Anemia, Cephalometrics.