Ultrasound Assessment of Tongue Characteristics in Adolescents With Obesity and Obstructive Sleep Disorders

Sponsor
Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Study ID
NCT07613944
Status
Not Yet Recruiting

Notify me when recruiting opens

Save your spot on the interest list for this study. We'll keep your details with this study so our team can follow up when recruiting opens.

Not yet recruiting

Add your contact details and location so we can keep your interest tied to this study.

Conditions

  • Obesity & Overweight Sleep
  • Obstructive Sleep Disordered Breathing
  • Pediatric Obesity

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
12 Years - 18 Years
Healthy Volunteers
Accepted

Interventions

  • Submental ultrasound — DEVICE
    Tongue ultrasound via a submental approach. This non-invasive, pain-free and non-radiating protocol will study both morphological and dynamic characteristics of the tongue. Ultrasonographic assessment will be performed with participants in a resting, supine position and ultrasound gel will be used to optimise submental probe contact.

Study Details

Obstructive sleep-disordered breathing, including obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), represents a significant yet underdiagnosed condition in the pediatric population, particularly among adolescents with obesity. The tongue is a central anatomical contributor to upper airway collapsibility; however, its biomechanical properties have been investigated almost exclusively in adult populations, leaving a critical gap in knowledge regarding younger individuals. This study aims to assess tongue biomechanical and echographic characteristics using quantitative ultrasound modalities - shear-wave elastography (SWE), acoustic attenuation, and echo intensity - in adolescents aged 12 to 18 years with obesity and obstructive sleep disorders. The study adopts a mixed design combining (1) an observational cross-sectional comparison between participants with obesity and OSDB and age- and sex-matched healthy controls at baseline, and (2) a prospective longitudinal cohort component evaluating changes in tongue ultrasound characteristics over the course of a 30-week multidisciplinary inpatient weight-loss program delivered as standard care at the Zeepreventorium (De Haan, Belgium). An additionnal methodological objective consists in determining intra-rater and inter-rater reliability of the ultrasound acquisition protocol providing a reproducible framework for future studies.

Key Dates

First listed
May 29, 2026
Start date
Sep 30, 2026
Status verified
May 2026
Primary completion
Sep 30, 2027
Completion
Dec 31, 2027

Study Design

Enrollment
80 participants (estimated)
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE

Arms

  • Experimental: Study group
    Adolescents (12-18 y.o.) with obesity and sleep-disordered breathing, recruited at the Zeepreventorium de Haan and at the KidZ Health Castle UZ-VUB. The intervention will consist of a submental ultrasound examination - a pain-free, non-ionizing, and non-invasive imaging procedure - aimed at quantifying tongue biomechanical properties, complemented by the collection of descriptive and anthropometric measures including standing height, body weight, impedance analysis, and neck circumference.
  • Active Comparator: Control group
    A control group of healthy participants (without obesity nor sleep disorders), matched for gender and age, will be recruited from among the researchers' acquaintances. The intervention will be the same, consisting of a submental ultrasound examination - a pain-free, non-ionizing, and non-invasive imaging procedure - aimed at quantifying tongue biomechanical properties, complemented by the collection of descriptive and anthropometric measures including standing height, body weight, impedance analysis, and neck circumference.

Primary Outcome Measure

Tongue stiffness [ Time Frame: at baseline and after 30-weeks weight loss program ]

Central Contacts

Related Studies