Pinheiro João, Ribeiro Luís, Teixeira Diana, Ribeiro Anabela, Coelho-E-Silva Manuel João
School of Health, Gambelas Campus, University of Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal.
Centre for Health Studies and Development, School of Health, Gambelas Campus, University of Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal.
Diagnostics (Basel). 2025 Apr 10;15(8):970. doi: 10.3390/diagnostics15080970.
: Bone maturation and development are crucial for growth and development, especially in children and adolescents; however, some qualitative methods, such as Greulich & Pyle, do not provide accurate data. Our aim is to verify whether skeletal age (SA) can predict and correlate with bone mineral content (BMC), bone mineral density (BMD), and body composition (BC). : A cross-sectional study was conducted on 115 male adolescents (ages 12.1-15.8 years). Skeletal age was assessed using the Tanner-Whitehouse 3 (TW3) method, while BMC, BMD, and BC were measured using full-body DXA. Anthropometric data, including height and body mass, were also recorded. Statistical analysis included descriptive methods and bivariate correlation coefficients. : SA was significantly correlated with stature (r = 0.598, = 0.001) and body mass (r = 0.517, = 0.001), showing a stronger association than chronological age (CA) for these variables. Body composition variables, including lean mass (LM) (r = 0.521, = 0.001) and fat tissue (FT) (r = 0.522, = 0.001), also showed a stronger correlation with SA than CA. However, associations between SA and bone parameters were weaker: BMC (r = 0.103, = 0.275) and BMD (r = 0.161, = 0.086) did not reach statistical significance. When stratified by SA/CA tertiles, individuals in the highest tertile exhibited slightly greater BMC (1439 ± 108.32 g) and BMD (1.028 ± 0.127 g/cm), though without a significant effect. These findings suggest a dynamic but complex relationship between skeletal age and bone development. : SA demonstrates a stronger association with anthropometric and body composition variables than CA, highlighting its potential as a predictor of growth used in conjunction with LM and FM. However, its relationship with BMD and BMC remains inconclusive, warranting further longitudinal research, considering limitations regarding nutritional intake.
骨骼成熟和发育对生长发育至关重要，尤其是在儿童和青少年时期；然而，一些定性方法，如格吕利希-派尔法，无法提供准确数据。我们的目的是验证骨龄（SA）是否能够预测骨矿物质含量（BMC）、骨矿物质密度（BMD）和身体成分（BC），并与之相关联。
对115名男性青少年（年龄在12.1至15.8岁之间）进行了一项横断面研究。使用坦纳-怀特豪斯3（TW3）方法评估骨龄，同时使用全身双能X线吸收法测量BMC、BMD和BC。还记录了包括身高和体重在内的人体测量数据。统计分析包括描述性方法和双变量相关系数。
SA与身高（r = 0.598，P = 0.001）和体重（r = 0.517，P = 0.001）显著相关，与这些变量的关联比实际年龄（CA）更强。身体成分变量，包括瘦体重（LM）（r = 0.521，P = 0.001）和脂肪组织（FT）（r = 0.522，P = 0.001），与SA的相关性也比CA更强。然而，SA与骨参数之间的关联较弱：BMC（r = 0.103，P = 0.275）和BMD（r = 0.161，P = 0.086）未达到统计学显著性。当按SA/CA三分位数分层时，最高三分位数的个体表现出略高的BMC（1439 ± 108.32克）和BMD（1.028 ± 0.127克/平方厘米），尽管没有显著影响。这些发现表明骨龄与骨骼发育之间存在动态但复杂的关系。
SA与人体测量和身体成分变量的关联比CA更强，突出了其作为与LM和FM结合使用的生长预测指标的潜力。然而，其与BMD和BMC的关系仍不明确，考虑到营养摄入方面的局限性，需要进一步的纵向研究。
