Correlation Between Morphometric Measurements and Carrying Angle of Human Elbow.

Purpose: This prospective cohort study aims to determine the correlation between morphometric measurements and the carrying angle of human elbow.

Methods: One hundred forty children were enrolled in the study. They were evaluated for age, sex, morphometric measurements, clinical carrying angle (CCA) and radiological carrying angle (RCA). The morphometric measurements included in the study were length of arms and forearms, inter-epicondylar distance of both sides, trans-trochanteric distance, height and body mass index. The mean of carrying angles in unrelated groups (gender and secondary sexual features) was compared using the unpaired t-test. Pearson's correlation coefficient was calculated to determine the strength and direction of the relationship between carrying angle and continuous variables (age, height, body mass index, forearm length, arm length, inter-epicondylar distance and trans-trochanteric distance).

Results: The mean age was 5.84±4.76 years. Ninety-eight (70%) were males, and forty-two (30%) were females. The means of RCAs of the left side and right side were 9.07±2.13 and 8.85±2.09, respectively. The mean values of CCA on the left side and right side were 8.77±2.03 and 8.55±2.01 each. A significant positive correlation was found between CCA and age, weight, height, arm length, forearm length, inter-epicondylar distance and trans-trochanteric distance. CCA was found to be significantly negatively correlated with body mass index.

Conclusion: CCA is significantly correlated with age, BMI and morphometric measurements.