title: Estimation of stature from second metacarpal length in Japanese children.
abstract: A relationship between stature and second metacarpal length was examined by means of a linear regression for sex, skeletal age and locality in 2056 children aged 6-19 years in five districts of Japan. Significant differences (p less than 0.05) were found for the regression of two measurements between immature and mature groups according to the TW2 method. Few significant differences were found in the regression with sex and locality in both immature and mature groups. Stature could be estimated from second metacarpal length with standard errors of 44mm in the immature group and 40mm in the mature group. Furthermore, from the bone length and TW2 age, stature could be estimated with a standard error of 38mm for each sex in combined groups. These figures are similar to the variability in stature at a given age and comparable to reliability of estimates from long bones. The second metacarpal length may be a reliable and practical marker in children for the estimation of stature by means of a general formula regardless of sex and locality in a population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, National Defense Medical College, Tokorozawa, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kimura
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001824:Body Constitution; D001827:Body Height; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008663:Metacarpus / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012737:Sex Factors