Date: August 2020.
Source: Thesis. University of British Columbia Library. Craniofacial Science, Faculty of University of British Columbia.
Objective: The goal of this prospective cohort study is to characterize the three-dimensional facial morphology of preterm infants at 4, 8 and 18 months corrected age who are enrolled in the Neonatal Follow-up Program at B.C. Women’s Hospital in Vancouver, BC. The study also aims to determine the association of non-invasive ventilation (NIV) on facial morphology at 4, 8 and 18 months corrected age.
Methods: Potential participants were screened for eligibility criteria during their 4, 8 and 18-month follow-up appointments. Infants eligible were imaged with a 3dMD surface-imaging camera and facial morphometrics were related to anthropometric birth data and NIV therapy received in the neonatal period.
Results: The study successfully obtained 82 facial images on 74 patients for analysis. Of the 82 images, 16 images were taken of the 4-month cohort, 31 of the 8-month cohort, and 35 of the 18-month cohort. The average gestational age was 185 days, birth weight of 853 grams, birth length of 33 cm and head circumference of 24 cm. The average NIV therapy duration was 49 days and the average NICU stay of 104 days. Using traditional morphometric analysis and geometric morphometric analyses, the study found no statistically significant correlation between NIV therapy duration and anthropometric distances or face shape.
Conclusions: The study found in neonates born preterm treated with NIV in hospital, NIV duration was not statistically correlated to any anthropometric distances. The results of this study may indicate that NIV therapy duration does not influence the facial shape of preterm children up to 18-months corrected age
Thesis: Three-dimensional facial morphology and the use of non-invasive ventilation in infants.
Authors: Zachary Wong.