title: Evaluation of arm span and sitting height as proxy for height in children with sickle cell anemia in Lagos, Nigeria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sickle cell anemia may affect linear growth, and complications like avascular necrosis of femoral head may make direct measurement of height difficult.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the relationship between height and arm span as well as between height and sitting height among children with sickle cell anemia in Lagos, Nigeria.
  
  
  METHODS
  A random sample of 200 children aged 8 months to 15 years were studied-100 with hemoglobin genotype SS and 100 with hemoglobin genotype AA, matched for age and sex. Height/length, sitting height, and arm span were measured. Correlations and regression analysis were performed to test the relationship between height as a dependent variable and the sitting height and arm span as independent variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Height, arm span, and sitting height were slightly but not significantly lower in subjects with sickle cell anemia. Strong correlations (R ≥ 0.95) were observed between height and other measurements in both subgroups. Regression analysis with height as the independent variable showed that arm span had a higher coefficient of determination than sitting height in both subjects (R(2) = 0.94 vs 0.899) and controls (R(2) = 0.942 vs 0.940). On the other hand, sitting height had a lower mean difference between observed and predicted height (0.04 and -0.11, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sitting height may be the preferred proxy for height in children with sickle cell anemia.
authors: a Department of Pediatrics , Lagos State University Teaching Hospital , Ikeja , Lagos , NIGERIA.
authors: Samuel Olufemi
authors: SO
authors: Akodu
authors: Ijeoma Nnenna
authors: IN
authors: Diaku-Akinwumi
authors: Omolara Adeolu
authors: OA
authors: Kehinde
authors: Olisamedua Fidelis
authors: OF
authors: Njokanma
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001132:Arm; D001827:Body Height; D001837:Body Weights and Measures / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: arm span; genetic disorders; regression; sickle cell anemia; sitting height