Hansen Camilla, Sonnesen Liselotte
Section of Orthodontics, Department of Odontology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of CopenhagenDenmark.
J Oral Maxillofac Res. 2022 Sep 30;13(3):e4. doi: 10.5037/jomr.2022.13304. eCollection 2022 Jul-Sep.
The aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine the method error and reliability of acoustic pharyngometry and rhinometry in children and adolescents and to describe the feasibility of these methods in a young population.
The study sample included 35 healthy subjects in the age of 9 to 14 years. The subjects were randomly recruited for the present project in the period from June 2021 to February 2022. Repeated measurements of the upper airway dimensions in standing mirror position were performed by the use of Acoustic Pharyngometer and Rhinometer. Volume (cm), calculated resistance (cm HO/L/min), mean area (cm), minimum cross-sectional area (MCA, cm) and distance to MCA (cm) were examined. Method errors and reliability coefficients were evaluated using Dahlberg's formula and the Houston reliability coefficient. The feasibility of the methods were analysed using paired t-test and estimated by difference in drop-out rates.
No systematic error exhibited in the repeated measurements except volume in the left nostril (P = 0.017). The method errors of the acoustic pharyngometry and rhinometry were betweeen 0.0002 to 0.069 and 0.001 to 0.082 respectively. The Houston reliability coefficient for both methods were between 0.952 to 0.999. The acoustic pharyngometry was significantly more feasible compared to rhinometry (P < 0.001).
The study shows that acoustic pharyngometry and rhinometry in the standing mirror position are reliable methods, with acoustic pharyngometry being even more feasible than rhinometry, which is why it is recommended to practice the methods with children and ensure reliability of results before registering measurements.
本横断面研究旨在检验儿童和青少年声学咽测量法和鼻腔测量法的方法误差及可靠性，并描述这些方法在年轻人群中的可行性。
研究样本包括35名9至14岁的健康受试者。在2021年6月至2022年2月期间，这些受试者被随机招募参与本项目。使用声学咽测量仪和鼻腔测量仪对站立于镜子前的受试者上气道尺寸进行重复测量。测量指标包括容积（cm³）、计算阻力（cmH₂O/L/min）、平均面积（cm²）、最小横截面积（MCA，cm²）以及到MCA的距离（cm）。使用达尔伯格公式和休斯顿可靠性系数评估方法误差和可靠性系数。通过配对t检验分析方法的可行性，并根据失访率差异进行估计。
除左鼻孔容积外（P = 0.017），重复测量中未表现出系统误差。声学咽测量法和鼻腔测量法的方法误差分别在0.0002至0.069和0.001至0.082之间。两种方法的休斯顿可靠性系数均在0.952至0.999之间。与鼻腔测量法相比，声学咽测量法明显更具可行性（P < 0.001）。
该研究表明，站立于镜子前的声学咽测量法和鼻腔测量法是可靠的方法，其中声学咽测量法比鼻腔测量法更具可行性，这就是为什么建议在对儿童进行测量记录之前，先对这些方法进行实践并确保结果的可靠性。
