Nasolabial fold angle measurement using anterior segment optical coherence tomography in normal subjects.
OBJECTIVE
The human nasolabial fold angle (NFA) has been measured using MRI and photogrammetry and has been shown to decrease with age. The authors aimed to evaluate a novel method using optical coherence tomography to measure the NFA.


METHODS
In this cross-sectional observational series, the authors used anterior segment optical coherence tomography (ASOCT) to image the NFA of both cheeks of 126 subjects aged 21 to 79 years. A dental vinylpolysiloxane custom-designed mould was used as a chin rest. The mean of 3 scans on each side was calculated and analysis of variance, multiple comparisons, and multiple linear regression were carried out using SPSS 11.0.


RESULTS
Sixty-one subject (48.4%) were men and 65 (51.6%) were women. Mean age was 50.6 +/- 16.8 years (range, 21-79 years). The ASOCT successfully imaged the NFA in all subjects. Mean right and left NFA were 144.4 degrees +/- 17.1 degrees and 145.4 degrees +/- 17.7 degrees. The NFA were dissimilar between the 6 age categories by decade (p < 0.001). Age was the significant predictor of NFA, accounting for 55% of NFA variation. Every year accounted for a decrease of 0.78 degrees (p < 0.001) and 0.80 degrees (p < 0.001) for the right and left cheeks, respectively. Male sex resulted in an increase in NFA of 5.4 degrees (p = 0.007) and 4.0 degrees (p = 0.06) in the right and left cheeks, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The NFA decreases with age and increases with male sex and can be measured with ASOCT accurately and easily.
Lim
Marcus C C
MC
Singapore National Eye Centre and Singapore Eye Research Institute, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore. marcus.lim.c.c@singhealth.com.sg
Aung
Han T
HT
Aung
Tin
T
Looi
Audrey L G
AL
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D002610:Cheek / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009666:Nose / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012737:Sex Factors; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D055815:Young Adult