Evaluation of increases in stature, upper extremity length and hand length in children from school age to the cessation of growth in Ogi County, Japan: a longitudinal study.
Stature, upper extremity length (UEL) and hand length (HL) were measured once yearly in children (171 males and 180 females) in Ogi County, Saga, Japan, from the 1 st grade of primary school (6.5 years of age) for 12 years. Based on the age of growth cessation, the order of growth cessation of stature, UEL and HL was investigated, in addition to the relationship between this order and the measurements obtained at 6.5 years of age. With regard to the order of growth cessation of stature and UEL, growth cessation of UEL occurred earlier than that of stature in 73.68% of males and 71.67% of females, growth cessation occurred simultaneously in 23.98% of males and 25.56% of females, and growth cessation of UEL occurred later than that of stature in 2.34% of males and 2.78% of females. According, growth cessation of UEL occurred earlier than that of stature in most subjects. In males, no significant differences were observed between subjects in whom growth cessation of UEL and HL occurred simultaneously and those in whom growth cessation of UEL occurred later than that of HL. However, in females, significant differences were noted, since the latter case was observed 1.69 times more frequently than the former. Nevertheless, growth cessation of stature, UEL and HL occurred at almost the same age in both males and females when cross-sectional data was used for processing, in agreement with data reported by other researchers. We also investigated whether there was any relationship between stature and UEL at initial examination and the order of growth cessation. No significant relationship was observed. Each measured value at initial examination tended to be large in subjects in whom growth cessation of stature and UEL occurred earlier. In addition, final stature was significantly taller in both males and females in whom growth cessation of stature occurred later compared to those in whom growth cessation occurred earlier.
Nishikawa
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Department of Surgery, Saga Medical School, Japan.
D000886:Anthropometry; D001132:Arm / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development; D044466:Asian People; D001827:Body Height; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D012727:Sex Characteristics