Sex chromosome aneuploidy and anthropometry: a new proportionality assessment using the phantom stratagem

Reported anthropometric data on 121 subjects with 47,XYY,47XXY,47,XXX, and 45,X aneuploidies were compared to those from 578 male and female control subjects by use of a single, unisex reference person ("phantom"). Subjects and controls were geometrically scaled to a standard stature of 170.18 cm, thus eliminating variance due to height. Deviations of anthropometric variables from specified phantom values were expressed as standard z-scores. By comparing z-scores of individual aneuploidy classes with those of their controls, further differences in proportionality came to light. The stratagem disclosed a systematic proportionality pattern between subjects and controls which appeared to be related to each specific sex chromosome aneuploidy. The phantom stratagem for proportional growth assessment appears to merit further use in genetic investigations where individual differences in size and shape confound the analysis of anthropometric data.