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Brazilian pediatric reference data for quantitative ultrasound of phalanges according to gender, age, height and
Ezequiel Moreira Gonçalves1, Roberto Regis Ribeiro2, Wellington Roberto Gomes de Carvalho3
1Growth and Development Lab-Center for Investigation in Pediatrics (CIPED)-School of Medical Sciences (FCM)-University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas-SP, Brazil.
Aims:
To establish normative data for phalangeal quantitative ultrasound (QUS) measures in Brazilian students.
Methods:
The sample was composed of 6870 students (3688 females and 3182 males), aged 6 to 17 years. The bone status parameter, Amplitude Dependent Speed of Sound (AD-SoS) was assessed by QUS of the phalanges using DBM Sonic BP (IGEA, Carpi, Italy) equipment. Skin color was obtained by self-evaluation. The LMS method was used to derive smoothed percentiles reference charts for AD-SoS according to sex, age, height and weight and to generate the L, M, and S parameters.
Results:
Girls showed higher AD-SoS values than boys in the age groups 7-16 (p<0.001). There were no differences on AD-SoS Z-scores according to skin color. In both sexes, the obese group showed lower values of AD-SoS Z-scores compared with subjects classified as thin or normal weight. Age (r2 = 0.48) and height (r2 = 0.35) were independent predictors of AD-SoS in females and males, respectively.
Conclusion:
AD-SoS values in Brazilian children and adolescents were influenced by sex, age and weight status, but not by skin color. Our normative data could be used for monitoring AD-SoS in children or adolescents aged 6-17 years.
