Age estimation using bone mineral density in South Africans

TY - JOUR

T1 - Age estimation using bone mineral density in South Africans

AU - Botha, D.

AU - Lynnerup, N.

AU - Steyn, M.

PY - 2019/4/1

Y1 - 2019/4/1

N2 - The use of bone mineral density (BMD) to predict age-at-death in skeletal remains provides a usable alternative to other methods because the values obtained are not observer-dependent. The aim of this study was to investigate the usability of BMD to estimate age in South African populations, and to assess inter-population variation and sex-specific differences in BMD values from the proximal end of the femur. In order to estimate age, regression analysis was done for the construction of population dependent formulae. The sample comprised of a total of 123 femora of black and white South Africans. DXA scans were performed using the Hologic Discovery system. Data analysis was done by employing independent-samples t-tests and correlation/regression analyses. The results indicated a statistically significant difference between black and white South Africans. Male groups were also significantly different from one another, but black and white females showed no significant differences. Linear regression analysis revealed a significant correlation between BMD values and age for the white population and the combined sample, but not for the black population. Bootstrapping were employed to confirm validity of the results. In conclusion, this study showed that the use of DXA measurements of the femur for estimating age may be used for the estimation of age-at-death in white South Africans, but more research is needed to better understand the relationship between bone mineral density and age in black South Africans.

AB - The use of bone mineral density (BMD) to predict age-at-death in skeletal remains provides a usable alternative to other methods because the values obtained are not observer-dependent. The aim of this study was to investigate the usability of BMD to estimate age in South African populations, and to assess inter-population variation and sex-specific differences in BMD values from the proximal end of the femur. In order to estimate age, regression analysis was done for the construction of population dependent formulae. The sample comprised of a total of 123 femora of black and white South Africans. DXA scans were performed using the Hologic Discovery system. Data analysis was done by employing independent-samples t-tests and correlation/regression analyses. The results indicated a statistically significant difference between black and white South Africans. Male groups were also significantly different from one another, but black and white females showed no significant differences. Linear regression analysis revealed a significant correlation between BMD values and age for the white population and the combined sample, but not for the black population. Bootstrapping were employed to confirm validity of the results. In conclusion, this study showed that the use of DXA measurements of the femur for estimating age may be used for the estimation of age-at-death in white South Africans, but more research is needed to better understand the relationship between bone mineral density and age in black South Africans.

KW - Age estimation

KW - Bone mineral density

KW - DXA

KW - Femur

KW - Regression

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85062409276&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.forsciint.2019.02.020

DO - 10.1016/j.forsciint.2019.02.020

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 30852414

AN - SCOPUS:85062409276

SN - 0379-0738

VL - 297

SP - 307

EP - 314

JO - Forensic Science International

JF - Forensic Science International

ER -