Craniofacial Morphometric Measurements of Children with Celiac Disease

To examine the craniofacial morphologic features of children with celiac disease and to investigate the presence of specific features in this disease.

Totally 100 celiac patients between the ages of 3 and 17 years who were diagnosed with celiac disease by biopsy and 100 healthy age- and sex-matched children were included in the study. Photographs of the children were taken using a SLR digital camera by one and the same person at a natural head position. The parameters specified on the photograph were measured with ImageJ 1.50b software. Twenty eight landmarks were identified on the photos. Using these landmarks, 41 distances and 5 angles were measured. Thirty eight anthropometric ratios were calculated.

Twenty seven distances, 1 angle and 9 ratios were determined shorter; 3 distances, 2 angles and 7 ratios were determined larger in patients with celiac disease compared with the healthy individuals. These differences were statistically significant.

There were significant alterations in some craniofacial morphometric parameters in children with celiac disease when compared with healthy controls. However, since the data is limited, a clear conclusion could not be achieved about a morphological feature directly associated with celiac disease in children. Further prospective studies with longer follow-up periods are warranted to determine the effects of celiac disease on craniofacial morphological measurements.