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SUMMARY: Accurate estimation of the personal stature is important in calculating body mass index, assessing nutritional status and the risk of cardiovascular disease, prediction of energy needs and in adaptation of cytostatic drug doses. However, various situations such as, patients in emergency or critical care settings or immobilized patients who are bed ridden or in wheelchairs make it difficult or even impossible to obtain the personal stature using standardized methods. Thus, the need for an alternate method of personal stature prediction arises. Despite its potential practical utility, little is known concerning the relationship between occipito-frontal circumference (OFC) of the head and personal stature among the adult Sri Lankans. Therefore, the goal of this study was to propose population and sex specific regression formula for personal stature estimation using the OFC. Personal stature and OFC was recorded in a total of 156 cadavers belonging to 55 - 89 years of age: (male: n=74; female: n=82). Subjects with any craniofacial deformities or history of neurological disorders were excluded from the study. The mean stature (cm) (male:162.08 ± 9.02 ; female:157.04 ± 9.59) and OFC (cm) (male: 54.09 ± 3.28 ; female: 52.88 ± 2.83) of the study subjects were found to be significantly different (P< 0.01) between the sexes. Correlation coefficient between the OFC and personal stature was statistically significant and positive in both males (0.62) and females (0.86) indicating a strong relationship between the two parameters. Linear regression formulae for the prediction of personal stature using the OFC were derived as follows: male: 70.52 + 1.69 (OFC); female: 3.48 + 2.92 (OFC). Stature prediction equations that require a measuring tape as the only tool to record the OFC provides a practical alternative for the height estimation of patients who are unable to stand due to various reasons. It is a simple, cost effective, non invasive and objective method for personal stature prediction. Accurate prediction of a patient’s stature will in turn, reduce potential errors that may occur when stature is estimated only by visual observation in emergency or clinical situations. Complementary studies are necessary to evaluate the applicability of these equations in other age groups too.

SUMMARY: Accurate estimation of the personal stature is important in calculating body mass index, assessing nutritional status and the risk of cardiovascular disease, prediction of energy needs and in adaptation of cytostatic drug doses. However, various situations such as, patients in emergency or critical care settings or immobilized patients who are bed ridden or in wheelchairs make it difficult or even impossible to obtain the personal stature using standardized methods. Thus, the need for an alternate method of personal stature prediction arises. Despite its potential practical utility, little is known concerning the relationship between occipito-frontal circumference (OFC) of the head and personal stature among the adult Sri Lankans. Therefore, the goal of this study was to propose population and sex specific regression formula for personal stature estimation using the OFC. Personal stature and OFC was recorded in a total of 156 cadavers belonging to 55 - 89 years of age: (male: n=74; female: n=82). Subjects with any craniofacial deformities or history of neurological disorders were excluded from the study. The mean stature (cm) (male:162.08 ± 9.02 ; female:157.04 ± 9.59) and OFC (cm) (male: 54.09 ± 3.28 ; female: 52.88 ± 2.83) of the study subjects were found to be significantly different (P< 0.01) between the sexes. Correlation coefficient between the OFC and personal stature was statistically significant and positive in both males (0.62) and females (0.86) indicating a strong relationship between the two parameters. Linear regression formulae for the prediction of personal stature using the OFC were derived as follows: male: 70.52 + 1.69 (OFC); female: 3.48 + 2.92 (OFC). Stature prediction equations that require a measuring tape as the only tool to record the OFC provides a practical alternative for the height estimation of patients who are unable to stand due to various reasons. It is a simple, cost effective, non invasive and objective method for personal stature prediction. Accurate prediction of a patient’s stature will in turn, reduce potential errors that may occur when stature is estimated only by visual observation in emergency or clinical situations. Complementary studies are necessary to evaluate the applicability of these equations in other age groups too. RESUMEN: La estimación precisa de la estatura es importante para calcular el índice de masa corporal, evaluar el estado nutricional, como también el riesgo de enfermedad cardiovascular, las necesidades energéticas y la adaptación de las dosis de los fármacos citostáticos. Sin embargo, varias situaciones, por ejemplo en situaciones de emergencias médicas o cuidados intensivos, los pacientes inmovilizados en cama o en silla de ruedas, se hace difícil o incluso imposible obtener la estatura usando métodos estandarizados. Por lo tanto, surge la necesidad de un método alternativo de predicción personal de la estatura. A pesar de su potencial utilidad práctica, se sabe poco sobre la relación entre la circunferencia occipito-frontal (COF) de la cabeza y la estatura entre los adultos de Sri Lanka. El objetivo de este estudio fue proponer una fórmula específica para la estimación de la estatura de acuerdo a población y sexo utilizando la COF. La estatura individual y la COF se registraron en un total de 156 cadáveres pertenecientes a individuos de 55-89 años de edad (hombre: n = 74, mujer: n = 82). Los sujetos con deformidades craneofaciales o antecedentes de trastornos neurológicos fueron excluidos del estudio. Se encontró que la estatura media (cm) (varón: 162,08 ± 9,02, mujer: 157,04 ± 9,59) y OFC (cm) (hombre: 54,09 ± 3,28, mujer: 52,88 ± 2,83) era significativamente diferente (P < 0,01) entre los sexos. El coeficiente de correlación entre la COF y la estatura fue estadísticamente significativo y positivo tanto en varones (0,62) como en mujeres (0,86), lo que indica una fuerte relación entre los dos parámetros. Las fórmulas de regresión lineal para la predicción de la estatura utilizando la COF se obtuvieron de la siguiente manera: hombres: 70,52 + 1,69 (COF); mujeres: 3,48 + 2,92 (OFC). Las ecuaciones de predicción de la estatura que requieren una cinta métrica como la única herramienta para registrar la COF proporcionan una alternativa práctica para estimar la altura en aquellos pacientes que no pueden ponerse de pie por diversos motivos. Es un método sencillo, rentable, no invasivo y objetivo para la predicción personal de la estatura. La predicción exacta de la estatura del paciente, a su vez, reducirá los errores potenciales que pueden ocurrir cuando la estatura se estima sólo por observación visual en situaciones de emergencias o clínicas. Estudios complementarios son necesarios para evaluar la aplicabilidad de estas ecuaciones en otros grupos de edad.

Coronary artery disease is a major cause of human mortality. It is stated that females have worse outcomes than men following myocardial infarction and coronary revascularization. Sexual differences in the coronary artery diameters have also been speculated as one of the reasons for the above outcome. However, because of possible confounding effects, such as the body size and heart weight, it is unclear if there is a true sex-specific effect on coronary arterial size. The present study was undertaken to investigate the sexual differences in the diameter of coronary arteries in a group of adult Sri Lankan population. The diameters of the coronary arteries and their branches were measured at predetermined sites in a total of one hundred and two apparently healthy hearts obtained from cadavers during routine gross anatomy dissections. All measurements were taken using a digital sliding caliper capable of measuring to the nearest 0.01mm. The mean coronary arterial diameters were significantly smaller in females than in males. These differences persisted even after the diameters of coronary arteries were corrected for heart weight and body surface areas. Precise knowledge of the expected normal coronary arterial diameter at a given anatomic location is the first step towards developing a quantitative estimate of the severity of the coronary artery disease. This study provides a reference data set for adult Sri Lankans against which to compare the diameters of coronary arteries in various pathological conditions. La enfermedad coronaria es la mayor causa de mortalidad humana. Se afirma que las mujeres tienen peores resultados que los hombres después de un infarto de miocardio y revascularización coronaria. Diferencias sexuales en los diámetros de las arterias coronarias han sido especuladas como una de las razones para los resultados anteriores. Sin embargo, debido a posibles efectos de confusión, tales como talla corporal y peso del corazón, no está claro si hay un verdadero efecto sexo-específico sobre el tamaño arterial coronario. El presente estudio se realizó para investigar las diferencias sexuales en el diámetro de las arterias coronarias en un grupo de adultos de la población de Sri Lanka. Los diámetros de las arterias coronarias y sus ramas se midieron en lugares predeterminados en un total de 102 corazones aparentemente sanos obtenidos de cadáveres durante las disecciones anatómicas de rutina. Todas las medidas fueron tomadas con un caliper digital deslizante (precisión 0,01 mm). La media del diámetro arterial coronario fue significativamente menor en mujeres que en hombres. Estas diferencias persisten aún después de que los diámetros de las arterias coronarias fueron corregidos por el peso del corazón y talla corporal. El conocimiento preciso del diámetro de la arteria coronaria normal esperado en un determinado lugar anatómico es el primer paso hacia el desarrollo de una estimación cuantitativa de la gravedad de la enfermedad de las arterias coronarias. Este estudio proporciona un conjunto de datos de referencia para adultos de Sri Lanka con el cual comparar los diámetros de las arterias coronarias en diversas condiciones patológicas.