Inference of stature using segmental measures in comparison with directly measured height in children and adolescents: an analytical cross-sectional study

Objectives

In the clinical routine of pediatricians, height is the most reliable indicator for assessing growth. However, there are situations where it is not possible to measure this parameter directly, making the estimation of height or length a useful alternative. The main goal of this study is to identify which segmental measure, including upper arm length (UAL), tibial length (TL), and knee-heel length (KHL), provides the stature estimate that most closely approximates directly measured height in the study participants.

Methods

Analytical cross-sectional study of the anthropometric and segmental measures of 248 participants, aged 0 to 14 years old, using Stevenson's and Kihara's equations to estimate indirectly measured height.

Results

The segmental measure that provided a measurement that deviated the least from the actual height was the KHL, followed by TL, both calculated using Stevenson's equations.

Conclusion

The use of segmental measures to infer a child's stature is valuable in clinical practice, particularly in bedridden and incapacitated patients. Based on the present findings, the KHL and TL segments yielded more accurate results than the UAL