Pédiatrie et thérapeutique
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Studies in Spanish Children to Calculate Bone Age and Predict Adult Height: Forty Years of Own Investigation

Bernardo Ebrí Torne and Inmaculada Ebrí Verde

Introduction: The authors make a historical review of his research over 40 years dedicated to the study of bone maturation in 5225 healthy children Spanish and Swiss. Bone ages are obtained using their own methodology and it lets you know whether the bone age of the child is normal, early or delayed, significantly or not. Numerical formulas are obtained from measurements of the carpal bones, metacarpals, phalanges and tarsal region, by radiographs of the left hand and foot. Lately, the authors have applied their methodology to all annual radiological cuts made since the child's birth through 20 years of 160 Spanish children. Materials & methods: The longitudinal case series studied includes 160 Aragon healthy children of both genders (Andrea Prader Center), aged between six months and 20 years old, and studied year after year. We obtained measurements (maximum diameters in mm) of each bone carpal and metacarpal and phalanges of the fingers I, III and V of the left hand. The radiological study has been conducted at Miguel Servet Hospital in Zaragoza. For the statistic work we have used the “Statistix” statistics Packaged, as well as Excel program for the confection of the equation tables. Results: In this study we applied in our children, indexes: Ebrí metacarpal, carpal and carpometacarpal Ebrí and called IVO (Index Valuation Ossification) derived of each respective index, serving for very accurate estimate of bone age. The results can bring to a Gaussian shape equivalences, which gives us directly bone age of the child, and if it is late or early or not significant. Conclusions: The use by the pediatrician and researcher of Ebri equations for calculating bone age, allow very accurately assess bone maturation from one child to study. With the use of the software we offer, the results are obtained directly, without being required to pocket calculator. With the software, predicting adult height of children is also obtained. With our methodology we can dispense the use of American method of Greulich and Pyle, and English Tanner Whitehause, at least in children of Hispanic origin. The gold standard of our contribution is that this basic methodology can be applied to different populations in order to create international standards series. Comparative studies between them can be made by the researchers. The possibilities in this regard are many.