title: Intraobserver and interobserver agreements of leg circumference measurements by tape measure based on 3 reference points.
abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate the intraobserver and interobserver agreements in tape measurements of the ankle and calf circumference with due emphasis on the 3 main reference points, the patella, the tibial tuberosity, and the medial malleolus. The leg circumference at 2 locations was measured in 66 patients in the mornings of 2 consecutive days by 6 observers. Finally, a blinded couple measured leg circumferences at a line created on calves with a ballpoint pen of 68 outpatients to calculate interobserver agreement for lined regions. Leg circumference measurement was accepted as correct when the difference was less than 0.6 cm in 2 occasions. Intraobserver and interobserver agreements were calculated as the percentage of correct measurements. Chi-square test was used to compare intraobserver and interobserver agreements for each reference point. At the calf region, intraobserver and interobserver agreements based on the tibial tuberosity (88% and 81%) were better than those of the patella (65% and 57%) and the medial malleolus (73% and 65%). On the other hand, at above the ankle region, the agreements (79% and 62%) were also better than those of the patella (60% and 43%) and nearly the same as those of the medial malleolus (86% and 65%). Finally, interobserver agreement of the measurements at the created line with ballpoint pen (96%) was better when compared to those of the tibial tuberosity (81%), the patella (57%), and medial malleolus (65%) (p = 0.005, p < 0.001, and p < 0.001, respectively). The results of this study suggest that the tibial tuberosity as a reference point for leg circumference measurement has better intraobserver and interobserver agreements than those of the patella and the medial malleoli.
authors.affiliation: Selcuk Study Group, Department of Internal Medicine, Meram School of Medicine, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey. trecep@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Recep
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tunc
authors.forename: Aygul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caglayan-Tunc
authors.forename: Gurcan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kisakol
authors.forename: Gulhan Kanat
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Unler
authors.forename: Taha
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hidayetoglu
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yazici
mesh_terms: D000842:Ankle / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology*; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D015588:Observer Variation; D010329:Patella; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013977:Tibia; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000473:pathology*