title: [Correlation analysis of hearing level and soft palate movement after palatoplasty].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the relationship between hearing level and soft palate movement after palatoplasty and to verify the importance of recovery of soft palate movement function for improving the middle ear function as well as reducing the hearing loss.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 64 non-syndromic cleft palate patients were selected and the lateral cephalometric radiographs were taken. The patients hearing level was evaluated by the pure tone hearing threshold examination. This study also analyzed the correlation between hearing threshold of the patients after palatoplasty and the soft palate elevation angle and velopharyngeal rate respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Kendall correlation analysis revealed that the correlation coefficient between hearing threshold and the soft palate elevation angle after palatoplasty was -0.339 (r = -0.339, P < 0.01).The correlation showed a negative correlation. The hearing threshold decreased as the soft palate elevation angle increased. After palatoplasty, the correlation coefficient between the hearing threshold and the rate of velopharyngeal closure was -0.277 (r = -0.277, P < 0.01). The correlation showed a negative correlation. While, The hearing threshold decreased with the increase of velopharyngeal closure rate. The hearing threshold was correlated with soft palate elevation angle and velpharyngeal closure rate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The movement of soft palate and velopharyngeal closure function after palatoplasty both have impact on patient hearing level. In terms of the influence level, the movement of soft palate has a higher level of impact on patient hearing level than velopharygeal closure function.
authors.affiliation: Cleft Lip and Palate Treatment Center, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing 100081, China.
authors.forename: Qun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Lou
authors.affiliation: Cleft Lip and Palate Treatment Center, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing 100081, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoran
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Cleft Lip and Palate Treatment Center, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing 100081, China; Email: lamaiana@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Lian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Cleft Lip and Palate Treatment Center, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing 100081, China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Cleft Lip and Palate Treatment Center, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing 100081, China.
authors.forename: Hongping
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Cleft Lip and Palate Treatment Center, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing 100081, China.
authors.forename: Zhibo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D001309:Auditory Threshold / Q000502:physiology*; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006309:Hearing / Q000502:physiology*; D006320:Hearing Tests; D006801:Humans; D010160:Palate, Soft / Q000502:physiology*; D014681:Velopharyngeal Insufficiency / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D055158:Velopharyngeal Sphincter / Q000502:physiology