Reliability of biological maturation analyses performed by equations predicting skeletal age and peak height velocity with hand and wrist X‐ray results

Abstract

Background Hand‐wrist radiography is the gold standard for the assessment of skeletal age (SA) and the assignment of biological maturation (BM) status. However, its practical use in the field is questioned, prompting the development of anthropometric equations to estimate BM. However, there is no consensus on the reliability of these equations in relation to hand‐wrist X‐rays. Objective To test the reliability of the BM estimated from predictive equations with the results of hand‐wrist X‐rays. Methods One‐hundred forty‐four young athletes (38%‐males, 62%‐females; 12.3 ± 1.4 years) were recruited. SA was assessed by analyzing X‐rays of the hand‐wrist using the Greulich‐Pyle protocol. SA was predicted using the anthropometric equations of Cabral and Macêdo. By subtracting chronological age from SA, a measure of BM or biological age (BA) was computed. In addition, a BA of years from peak height velocity (PHV) was predicted using the anthropometric equations of Mirwald and Moore. Results Relative to X‐ray, Cabral's equations showed high reliability in estimating BM in both sexes (p < .0001) while Macêdo's equations showed substantial reliability or males (p < .0001) only. Mirwald and Moore's equations showed weak reliability (p < .05 and p = .043, respectively). Conclusion The prediction of SA using anthropometric equations was found to be reliable in categorizing individuals as late, synchronized, and/or early maturers in both sexes. However, the predictive equations of years from PHV only reliably categorized late and synchronized maturation stages in males and the synchronized maturers in females.

Predicting 6000m Performance Time in Junior Rowers using a 500m Indoor Rowing Test

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Validity of the relative fat mass pediatric index (RFMp) for the analysis of body composition in physically active youths at different stages of biological maturation

“…After calculation, the sample was classified into 21 : pre‐PHV (results < −1), Circum‐PHV (results between −1 and 1) and Pos‐PHV (results >1). Categorising the stages of maturation by means of predictive equations proved to be a valid method compared to the gold standard (hand‐wrist X‐ray), for which the details can be checked in the study by Almeida‐Neto et al 22 …”

Physiological mechanisms of muscle strength and power are dependent on the years post obtaining peak height velocity in elite juniors rowers: A cross-sectional study

“…It is worth noting that, in relation to CA, BA can be classified as early, average or late [ 3 ]. One way to assess BA is by estimating the age that PHV is attained and then aligning individuals by a BA rather than CA.…”