Sheffield NIHR Biomedical Research Unit for Musculoskeletal Disease, University of Sheffield and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Centre for Biomedical Research, Northern General Hospital, Herries Road, Sheffield, S5 7AU, UK.
Osteoporos Int. 2012 Dec;23(12):2815-28. doi: 10.1007/s00198-012-1912-2. Epub 2012 Feb 14.
Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) measurement variables vary between European countries in a different way to hip bone mineral density. Standardization of data can be achieved through statistical approaches to reduce any between-center differences in QUS measurement variables. However, further validation of this method is required before it can be widely applied.
European between-center differences in hip bone mineral density (BMD) have been shown to exist; however, little is known about the geographical heterogeneity of QUS measurement variables. We aimed to examine the differences in QUS variables between three different European countries.
Five calcaneal and phalangeal QUS devices in Sheffield, Aberdeen (UK), Kiel and Berlin (Germany), and three devices in Paris (France) were used to measure QUS variables in younger (n = 463, 20-39 years old) and older (n = 2,399, 55-79 years old) women participating in the European multicenter Osteoporosis and Ultrasound (OPUS) study. Broadband ultrasound attenuation, speed of sound, stiffness index, amplitude-dependent speed of sound, bone transmission time, and ultrasonic bone profiler index data were collected. Between-center differences were examined using ANOVA followed by post hoc Fisher's least significant difference tests, and ANCOVA with linear contrasts. p < 0.05 indicated statistical significance.
Between-center differences in nonstandardized QUS measurement variables existed for younger (p = 0.0023 to p < 0.0001) and older women (p < 0.001). Anthropometric characteristics exerted a significant influence on nonstandardized data (p = 0.045 to p < 0.001). However, following statistical standardization, based on height and weight or based on measurements made in young people, geographical heterogeneity in QUS measurement variables was no longer apparent.
QUS measurement variables vary between European countries in a different way to those for hip BMD. Standardization of data can be achieved through statistical approaches to reduce any between-center differences in QUS measurement variables. However, further validation of this method is required before it can be widely applied.
定量超声（QUS）测量变量在欧洲各国之间的变化方式与髋部骨密度不同。通过统计方法对数据进行标准化，可以减少 QUS 测量变量之间的任何中心差异。然而，在广泛应用之前，需要进一步验证这种方法。
已经证明，欧洲各国之间髋部骨密度（BMD）存在差异；然而，关于 QUS 测量变量的地理异质性知之甚少。我们旨在检查三个不同欧洲国家之间 QUS 变量的差异。
谢菲尔德、阿伯丁（英国）、基尔和柏林（德国）的五台跟骨和指骨 QUS 设备以及巴黎（法国）的三台设备用于测量参加欧洲多中心骨质疏松症和超声（OPUS）研究的年轻（n=463，20-39 岁）和老年（n=2399，55-79 岁）女性的 QUS 变量。收集宽带超声衰减、声速、刚度指数、声速依赖幅度、骨传输时间和超声骨轮廓仪指数数据。使用方差分析（ANOVA）后进行事后 Fisher 最小显著差异检验以及协方差分析（ANCOVA）和线性对比来检查中心间差异。p<0.05 表示具有统计学意义。
年轻（p=0.0023 至 p<0.0001）和老年女性（p<0.001）的非标准化 QUS 测量变量存在中心间差异。人体测量特征对非标准化数据有显著影响（p=0.045 至 p<0.001）。然而，在进行统计标准化后，基于身高和体重或基于年轻人的测量值，QUS 测量变量的地理异质性不再明显。
QUS 测量变量在欧洲各国之间的变化方式与髋部 BMD 不同。通过统计方法对数据进行标准化，可以减少 QUS 测量变量之间的任何中心差异。然而，在广泛应用之前，需要进一步验证这种方法。
