Clinical assessment of bone mass in children

Abstract

Objective. To give clinical assessment of bone mass main indices in healthy children living in Moscow and Moscow region. Material and methods. 357 healthy children aged 5-16 years (194 male, 163 female) were included. Physical development, bone mineral density (BMD) by 2-power radiological absorptiometry, bone mineral content (BMC) were evaluated. Results. Significant variability of height in children age groups was revealed. 40,2% had disharmonious physical development. BMC and BMD were closely associated with height (r=0,8, p=0,0001) and body mass (r=0,7, p=0,0001). Bone mass indices were proved to be significantly less in children with height and body mass less then 10% percentile. BMD growth rate was less than mineral accumulation rate. Method of body mass clinical assessment in children was elaborated. Conclusion. Application of elaborated tables of conjugated values of anthropometric and densitometric indices allows to decrease of osteopenia overdiagnosis in children and determine causes of insufficient bone mineral content.

Keywords

• children
• anthropometry
• densitometry
• osteopenia