Ali RASAT, Selmi TUNÇ
Meandros Medical and Dental Journal - 2026;27(3):491-500
Objective: This study aimed to investigate volumetric alterations of the maxillary sinus in patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Materials and Methods: A total of 120 cone -beam computed tomography (CBCT) images from 40 COPD patients, 40 asthma patients, and 40 healthy individuals were retrospectively evaluated. Morphometric analyses were performed using CBCT images, and maxillary sinus volume and surface area were measured using 3D Slicer software. Group comparisons were conducted, and the independent effects of disease status were further evaluated using a General Linear Model (GLM -ANCOVA) adjusted for age and sex. Results: Group comparisons revealed significantly lower maxillary sinus volume and surface area in the asthma group compared to both the COPD and control groups (p < 0.05). The COPD group also showed lower right -sided and total measurements than controls (p < 0.05) , whereas left -sided differences were not significant. However, in GLM -ANCOVA analysis, asthma did not demonstrate a significant independent effect, and no significant relationship was observed between COPD and sinus volume. Conclusion: These findings suggest a possible association between asthma and reduced maxillary sinus dimensions; however, this relationship was not independent of other variables and should be interpreted with caution. COPD showed no significant independent association with sinus volume. Further prospective studies are needed to clarify the underlying mechanisms and direction of this relationship.
