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Meta-Analysis
. 2019 Jun;29(6):2910-2923.
doi: 10.1007/s00330-018-5792-5. Epub 2019 Jan 7.

Is the Greulich and Pyle atlas applicable to all ethnicities? A systematic review and meta-analysis

Khalaf Alshamrani  1   2   3 , Fabrizio Messina  4   5 , Amaka C Offiah  6   7
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Is the Greulich and Pyle atlas applicable to all ethnicities? A systematic review and meta-analysis

Khalaf Alshamrani et al. Eur Radiol. 2019 Jun.

Abstract

Objective: To determine whether the Greulich and Pyle (G&P) atlas is applicable when applied to populations of different ethnicity.

Methods: A systematic review of studies published between 1959 and 15th February 2017 identified from the Embase, MEDLINE and Cochrane databases was undertaken. Quality of the studies was assessed using the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence tool. Meta-analysis used mean differences and standard deviations as summary statistics for the difference between bone age (BA) and chronological age (CA).

Results: A total of 49 studies were included of which 27 (55%) were related to Caucasian populations. Of the 49 eligible studies, 35 were appropriate for further meta-analysis. In African females, meta-analysis showed a significant mean difference between BA and CA of 0.37 years (95% CI 0.04, 0.69). In Asian males, meta-analysis showed significant differences between BA and CA of -1.08, -1.35, -1.07, -0.80 and 0.50 years for chronological ages of 6, 7, 8, 9 and 17 years, respectively. Meta-analysis showed no significant differences between BA and CA in African males, Asian females, Caucasians and Hispanics.

Conclusions: The G&P standard is imprecise and should be used with caution when applied to Asian male and African female populations, particularly when aiming to determine chronological age for forensic/legal purposes.

Key points: • In African females, bone age is significantly advanced when compared to the G&P standard. • In Asian males, bone age is significantly delayed between 6 and 9 years old inclusive and significantly advanced at 17 years old when compared to the G&P standard. • The G&P atlas should be used with caution when applied to Asian and African populations, particularly when aiming to determine chronological age for forensic/legal purposes.

Keywords: Age determination by skeleton; Forensic medicine; Meta-analysis; X-rays.

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Conflict of interest statement

Guarantor

The scientific guarantor of this publication is Amaka C. Offiah.

Conflict of interest

The authors of this manuscript declare no relationships with any companies, whose products or services may be related to the subject matter of the article.

Statistics and biometry

Fabrizio Messina is a part time PhD student at the School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield and a Medical Statistician at the Leeds Institute of Clinical Trials Research, University of Leeds.

Informed consent

Written informed consent was not required for this systematic review and meta-analysis.

Ethical approval

Institutional Review Board approval was not required for this systematic review and meta-analysis.

Methodology

• systematic review

• meta-analysis

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flow chart to show article selection process
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Forest plot of Caucasians (females and males)
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Forest plot of Africans (females and males)
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Forest plot of Asians (females and males)
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Forest plot of Hispanics (females and males)
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
G&P bone age after adjustment based on meta-analysis (females and males)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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