title: Femoral head epiphysis growth and development among Chinese children aged 0-5 years.
abstract: The aim of this study was to examine the pattern of femoral head epiphysis growth and development among Chinese children. Between January and December, 2007, we randomly sampled 1,450 healthy Chinese children (0-5 years old) from Hunan Provincial Children's Hospital in Changsha, Hunan, China. The diameter of femoral head epiphysis was measured by pelvic X-ray photography and processed by medical image processing software. The growth of femoral head epiphysis in girls was 2-3 months earlier than that in boys. The diameter of femoral head epiphysis increased with advancing age in both girls and boys, but the diameter of femoral head epiphysis in 2, 3, 4, 6, and 10-month-old girls was significantly larger than that in boys. Cubic regression equations between the diameter of femoral head epiphysis and age were created for boys and girls that could be used to predict the diameter of femoral head epiphysis. In conclusion, there was gender difference in femoral head epiphysis growth and development among Chinese children, and our prediction models will provide the guidance for early diagnosis of diseases related to the growth and development of the femoral head epiphysis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Women's and Children's Health, School of Public Health, Central South University, Xiangya Road 110, 410078 Changsha, China. jiayouluo@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Jiayou
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Libo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Jinsong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mou
authors.forename: Lingli
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000886:Anthropometry; D044466:Asian People; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China; D004838:Epiphyses / Q000254:growth & development; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000254:growth & development*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010388:Pelvis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011786:Quality Control; D011859:Radiography; D012737:Sex Factors