Abstract
The objective of this study was to supply quantitative information about the facial softโtissues of a group of subjects with Down syndrome. The threeโdimensional coordinates of 28 softโtissue facial landmarks were obtained by an electromechanic digitizer in 17 male and 11 female subjects with Down syndrome aged 12โ45 years, and in 429 healthy individuals of the same age, ethnicity, and sex. From the landmarks, facial areas (eyes, ears, nose, and lips) and volumes (nose and lips) were calculated according to a geometrical model of face. Data were compared to those collected in the normal subjects by computing zโscores. Male and female zโscores were not significantly different. Most of the facial volumes were significantly (Student's t, Pโ<โ0.05) smaller in subjects with Down syndrome than in their normal controls. Ear areas were significantly reduced (mean zโscores in males โ2.07 right, โ1.9 left; in females โ2.11 right, โ2.21 left), as well as nasal surface area (mean zโscore โ1.53 in males, โ2.45 in females). In women, age and some zโscores were significantly correlated (Pโ<โ0.05): upper lip volume (rโ=โ0.714), left and right eye area (rโ=โ0.635, right; 0.604, left), nasal area (rโ=โ0.603): with increasing age, the negative values of the zโscores approached the 0 value of the reference population. In the pooled sample, age and the zโscore of the total lip area were significantly correlated (rโ=โ0.423): increasing age corresponded to a larger zโscore value. The method allowed a simple, low cost, fast, and noninvasive examination of the subjects, and provided a quantitative assessment of the deviation from the norm. ยฉ 2004 WileyโLiss, Inc.