Skeletal status in males aged 7-80 years assessed by quantitative ultrasound at the hand phalanges

• Published in: Osteoporosis international 2003-06, Vol.14 (4), p.295-300
• Main Authors: DROZDZOWSKA, B, PLUSKIEWICZ, W
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Aging - physiology; Biological and medical sciences; Bone Density - physiology; Child; Finger Phalanges - diagnostic imaging; Fractures; Humans; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Joints; Male; Males; Medical sciences; Metabolism; Middle Aged; Osteoporosis; phalanges; Reference Values; Regression Analysis; Ultrasonic imaging; Ultrasonic investigative techniques; Ultrasonography
• ISSN: 0937-941X; 1433-2965
• DOI: 10.1007/s00198-002-1355-2

Skeletal status in males has been assessed by quantitative ultrasound in only a few studies. There is the lack of data concerning age accretion, peak values, and age-decrease of bone parameters in a wide age range. The aim of this study was evaluation of a large, male, normal population (n=1,175) aged 7-80 years, by the use of quantitative ultrasound (QUS), to estimate peak value of phalangeal ultrasound parameter, age-related changes during growing and aging, the influence of body size, and determination of male normative data. In the study, amplitude-dependent speed of sound (Ad-SoS) at the hand phalanges was measured using DBM Sonic 1200 (IGEA, Italy). The precision assessed by root-mean-square coefficient of variation (RMS-CV) was 0.7%. Ad-SoS ranged from 1,916 m/s in the youngest subgroup (7 years of age) to 1,910 m/s in the oldest (75-80 years of age), and the peak value (2,135 m/s) was achieved in 28-year-old males. Ad-SoS did not increase significantly to the age of 13. Ad-SoS increased significantly between subgroups aged 13 and 14 years ( p