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Agreement between different methods of measuring height in elderly patients
H Frid1, E Thors Adolfsson, A Rosenblad
1Centre for Clinical Research, Uppsala University, Västmanland County Hospital, Västerås, Sweden.
Summary
For elderly patients unable to stand, a sliding caliper best measures height. Self-reported height or knee height estimation are secondary choices, while demispan estimation is least accurate for standing height measurements.
Area of Science:
- Geriatric Medicine
- Anthropometry
- Clinical Measurement
Background:
- Accurate height measurement is crucial for health assessments in elderly patients.
- Assessing height can be challenging in older adults with mobility issues.
- Various methods exist for height measurement, each with potential inaccuracies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the agreement of different height measurement techniques in elderly patients.
- To evaluate self-reported height, sliding caliper, demispan, and knee height estimations against standing height.
Main Methods:
- An observational study included 55 elderly patients (mean age 79 years).
- Height was measured as standing height, self-reported height, recumbent height via sliding caliper, and estimated from demispan or knee height.
Main Results:
- Sliding caliper measurements in a recumbent position showed the closest agreement with standing height (limits of agreement: +1.1 to -4.8 cm).
- Self-reported height and knee height estimation exhibited significant differences from standing height.
- Demispan estimation yielded the widest range of differences from standing height.
Conclusions:
- A sliding caliper is the preferred method for measuring height in elderly patients who cannot stand upright.
- Self-reported height or knee height estimation are viable alternatives.
- Demispan estimation should be considered a last resort due to its lower accuracy.
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