Environmental temperature and air humidity and prevalence of maxillary sinus retention cysts: possible relationships (preliminary study).

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of maxillary sinus retention cysts (MSRCs) and to evaluate the effects of mean temperature and mean air humidity on the prevalence of MSRCs in two cities in Turkey.

METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted in Antalya and Erzurum, two cities with different air humidities and temperatures in Turkey. Panoramic images of patients who visited the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Faculty of Dentistry, Akdeniz University and Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Faculty of Dentistry, Ataturk University for diagnostic purposes were evaluated. A total of 4800 panoramic images were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 27.03 ± 6.48 years. The prevalence of MSRCs was analyzed according to sex, mean temperature, and mean air humidity. Values of p < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

RESULTS: Among the 4800 panoramic images evaluated, 228 indicated the presence of MSRCs. MSRCs were found significantly more frequently in males than in females. The prevalence was 3% in Antalya and 6.5% in Erzurum, with a total prevalence of 4.8%. While there was a significant correlation between the total amount of cysts and monthly mean air humidity in Erzurum, the correlation effect size was very low.

CONCLUSIONS: The total prevalence of MSRCs was 4.8%. There were no correlations between the frequency of MSRCs and the mean air humidity or mean temperature.