title: Variation of the Anthropometric Index for pectus excavatum relative to age, race, and sex.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine possible variations in the Anthropometric Index for pectus excavatum relative to age, race, and sex in individuals free of thoracic wall deformities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 2002 and 2012, 166 individuals with morphologically normal thoracic walls consented to have their chests and the perimeter of the lower third of the thorax measured according to the Anthropometric Index for pectus excavatum. The participant characteristics are presented (114 men and 52 women; 118 Caucasians and 48 people of African descent).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Measurements of the Anthropometric Index for pectus excavatum were statistically significantly different between men and women (11-40 years old); however, no significant difference was found between Caucasians and people of African descent. For men, the index measurements were not significantly different across all of the age groups. For women, the index measurements were significantly lower for individuals aged 3 to 10 years old than for individuals aged 11 to 20 years old and 21 to 40 years old; however, no such difference was observed between women aged 11 to 20 years old and those aged 21 to 40 years old.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the sample, significant differences were observed between women aged 11 to 40 years old and the other age groups; however, there was no difference between Caucasian and people of African descent.
authors.affiliation: Instituto do Coração, Faculdade de Medicina, Hospital das Clínicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São PauloSP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Eduardo Baldassari
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Rebeis
authors.forename: Jose Ribas Milanez de
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.forename: Luis Felipe Pinho
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.forename: Antonio Carlos
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Pastorino
authors.forename: Paulo Manuel
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Pêgo-Fernandes
authors.forename: Fabio Biscegli
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Jatene
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005660:Funnel Chest / Q000208:ethnology / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008488:Medical Illustration; D012016:Reference Values; D012737:Sex Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D055815:Young Adult