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Comparison of International Reference Values for Bone Speed of Sound in Pediatric Populations: Meta-analysis

R Rivas-Ruiz1, L Méndez-Sánchez2, O D Castelán-Martínez3

  • 1Centro de Adiestramiento en Investigación Clínica, Coordinación de Investigación en Salud, Centro Médico Nacional S. XXI, IMSS, México, D.F.; Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, D.F.

Journal of Clinical Densitometry : the Official Journal of the International Society for Clinical Densitometry
|June 20, 2015
PubMed

Insights

International reference values for speed of sound (SoS) in children vary by country. Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) data revealed significant differences in pediatric SoS, particularly for Mexico compared to other nations.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Bone Health
  • Quantitative Ultrasound (QUS)
  • International Reference Values

Background:

  • Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) is a non-invasive method to assess bone health.
  • Establishing reliable international reference values (RV) for speed of sound (SoS) in pediatric populations is crucial for accurate bone assessment.
  • Variations in QUS-derived SoS-RV may exist across different countries.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically compare international reference values (RV) for tibial and radial speed of sound (SoS) in pediatric populations.
  • To identify potential differences in SoS-RV based on country of origin using quantitative ultrasound (QUS).
  • To analyze these variations by age and geographical location.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies utilizing QUS (Sunlight Omnisense) in pediatric populations.
  • Inclusion of nine studies encompassing 6963 patients, with specific focus on newborn and pediatric age groups.
  • Comparative analysis of SoS-RV between different countries, including Italy, Portugal, Israel, Canada, Mexico, Greece, and Turkey.

Main Results:

  • For newborns (27-42 wk gestational age), significant differences in SoS-RV were found between Portugal and Israel, but not between Italy-Portugal or Italy-Israel.
  • In pediatric populations, significant differences in SoS-RV were observed between Mexico and Israel, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, and Canada.
  • No significant differences in SoS-RV were found between Israel and Turkey, Greece, or Canada.

Conclusions:

  • Tibial and radial SoS-RV obtained by QUS show significant international variations in pediatric populations.
  • Mexico exhibits notably different SoS-RV compared to several other countries, highlighting the need for country-specific reference data.
  • These findings underscore the importance of considering geographical origin when interpreting QUS-derived SoS values in children.

Keywords:
Pediatricsquantitative ultrasoundreference-values and meta-analysisspeed of sound

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