Hip axis length variation: its correlation with anthropometric measurements in women from three ethnic groups

• Published in: Osteoporosis international Vol. 19; no. 9; pp. 1301 - 1306
• Main Authors: Clark, P., Tesoriero, L. J., Morton, D. J., Talavera, J. O., Karlamangla, A., Schneider, D. L., Wooten, W. J., Barrett-Connor, E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Springer-Verlag 01.09.2008; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: African Americans; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anthropometry - methods; Biological and medical sciences; Black or African American - statistics & numerical data; Body fat; Body Height - ethnology; Body measurements; Body Size - ethnology; Bone density; Cultural differences; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry; Endocrinology; Ethnicity; Ethnicity - statistics & numerical data; Female; Fractures; Hip; Hip Fractures - ethnology; Hip Fractures - pathology; Hip joint; Hip Joint - anatomy & histology; Hispanic Americans; Humans; Injuries of the limb. Injuries of the spine; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Mexican Americans - statistics & numerical data; Middle Aged; Minority & ethnic groups; Original Article; Orthopedics; Osteoporosis. Osteomalacia. Paget disease; Rheumatology; Risk assessment; Traumas. Diseases due to physical agents; White people; White People - statistics & numerical data; Women; Women; Hip geometry; Hip fracture; Ethnic differences; Hip axis length; Human; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Fracture; Epidemiology; Trauma; Ethnic group; Hip; Geometry; Osteoporosis; Woman
• ISSN: 0937-941X; 1433-2965
• DOI: 10.1007/s00198-008-0572-8

Summary We compared hip axis length (HAL) in 157 non-Hispanic white women, 292 African-American women, and 210 Mexican-American women. After adjusting for maximal hip girth, there were no residual differences in HAL by ethnicity. Differences in hip fracture risk seen between these groups cannot be explained by ethnic differences in HAL. Introduction Hip axis length (HAL) has been reported to be an independent predictor of hip fracture. Significant ethnic differences in HAL have been noted, but no direct comparison has been made between African-American, Mexican-American, and non-Hispanic white women using the same protocol. Methods We compared 157 non-Hispanic white women from the Rancho Bernardo Study, 292 women from the Health Assessment Study of African-American Women, and 210 women from the Skeletal Health of Mexican-American Women Project. A standardized questionnaire was used to obtain medical history; height, weight, waist girth, and hip girth were measured; and percentage body fat and HAL were obtained using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. All HAL comparisons were adjusted for maximum hip girth to control for differences in size magnification by fan-beam absorptiometry. Results Though there were ethnic differences in the unadjusted HAL measurement, after adjusting for hip circumference, there were no residual differences in HAL with regard to ethnicity: 10.7 cm in Mexican-American women vs. 10.8 in non-Hispanic white women and African-American women ( p  = 0.61). Conclusions There were no ethnic differences in HAL in women from the three ethnic groups. Differences in fracture risk among these groups cannot be explained by ethnic differences in HAL.