MEASUREMENT OF HEIGHT - PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE STUDY OF OSTEOPOROSIS

Osteoporotic vertebral fractures result in loss of height and so regul ar measurement of stature may be a useful method for detecting the ons et of the disease and monitoring its progress. The aim of this study w as to evaluate the reliability of height measurement in a clinical set ting by estimating its precision and the effects of diurnal variation and supine bone densitometry. Duplicate measurements of standing heigh t were made in 50 normal volunteers (25 female) in the morning and 7h later; similar measurements were made in 25 female patients before and after densitometry (spine, one hip and whole body). Portable Harpende n stadiometers were used. The pooled standard deviation (coefficient o f variation) ranged from 0.9 mm (0.05%) to 1.7 mm (0.11%). Significant height decrease (>6 mm) occurred in volunteers during the course of a day while patients showed a significant increase (>5 mm) after lying supine for an average period of 49 min. Height can be estimated precis ely if measurements are made consistently, i.e. using the same equipme nt and technique, at the same time of day and before bone densitometry . The provision of stadiometers in primary care surgeries and hospital clinics would provide a simple, inexpensive and non-invasive method o f assessing the progress of spinal osteoporosis.