Craniofacial disproportions in Apert's syndrome: an anthropometric study.

Twenty craniofacial indices composed of 26 surface measurements taken directly from the head and face were determined in 14 Apert's syndrome patients 18 days to 5 years old (younger subgroup) and 14 patients ages 6 years to 15 years old (older subgroup). All of the patients were North American Caucasians who had undergone early suture release but no facial repair. The indices were compared with those in healthy controls of the same age and sex. The wide intercanthal distance in relation to the narrow soft nose was the most frequent (81.5%) and extensive (17.7% above the maximum normal index value) disproportion. Abnormal indices occurred most often with the combination of one abnormal and one normal measurement (61.0%). All seven of the 16 disproportions seen in both age subgroups increased in frequency nonsignificantly with age: the supernormal cephalic, intercanthal, nasal, and vertical mandibulofacial indices and the subnormal nasofacial, upper face, and jaws' arcs indices. Of the six disproportions that decreased in frequency with age, four changed significantly (the supernormal frontoparietal and frontozygomatic indices and the subnormal mandibulofacial and nasozygomatic indices) and two changed nonsignificantly (the supernormal intercanthoalar and subnormal cheilozygomatic indices). With the exception of two nasal proportions, the extent of the disproportionality decreased in all of the indices that increased with age.