Normal values and inter-relations of body length segments in Cairo infants

ABSTRACT

This study aimed a] to provide reference data for crown-heel length, crown-subischial length, subischial leg length and knee-heel length; b] to describe some body proportions namely crown-subischial length/crown-heel length, subischia leg length/crown-heel length, crown-subischial length/subischial leg length and knee-heel length/crown-heel length c] to study the sex difference of these measurements and ratios, d] and to analyze the correlation between crown-heel length and the other studied measurements in Egyptian infants. Data were collected cross-sectionally from a sample of 794 male [mean age 8.97 years] and 810 female [mean age 8.30 years] infants from the Greater Cairo area. Anthropometric measurements were performed according to formal descriptions using standard instruments. Age changes in the studied measurements and ratios during infancy are graphically presented for each sex, males were advanced over females in all the studied measurements and ratios with high significance of difference [P<0.000]. Significant association was observed between crown-heel length and the studied measurements in most of the studied age groups. A comparison is made with other studies especially with a previous Egyptian growth study [1980-1990]. The current study recorded higher values in comparison to tile previous one for both males and females. In males at age of 1 and 18 months the high significance of differences [P<0.000] was only noticed in crown-heel length which implies that the main change was in leg length