Sonographic Correlation of Liver Dimensions with Anthropometric Variables in Apparently Healthy Pediatrics in Kano Metropolis, Nigeria

Abstract

Accurate measurement of liver size allows for the diagnosis of various liver pathologies. Establishing normal liver size and how it is influenced by anthropometric variables is critical in diagnosis and determining the treatment method for the underlying liver pathology. This study was aimed at establishing the relationship between liver dimensions and anthropometric variables. The study was a cross-sectional study conducted in some selected hospitals in Kano Metropolis, Nigeria. Four hundred and twenty-six apparently normal pediatric subjects were studied within the age range of 0 – <18years. The liver was examined with the patient in supine position, both the cranio-caudal and antero-posterior liver dimension were obtained through the mid clavicular line in longitudinal and transvers planes respectively. Both descriptive inferential statistics were employed for the data analysis. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used and p>0.05 was set as significance level. There was a statistical significant strong positive correlation between cranio-caudal dimension and age, height, weight, BMI and BSA in <1 month >12month age group (r=0.74, p=0.000; r=0.86, p=0.000; r=0.64, p=0.000; r=0.74, 0.p=000 and r=0.53, p=0.000 respectively for males and r=0.60, p=0.000; r=0.61, p=0.000; r=0.59; p=0.000; r=0.81, p=0.000 and r=0.66, p=0.001 respectively for females). Also, in the same age group both male and female subjects show significant strong positive correlation between anterior-posterior dimension and BMI & BSA: (r=0.67, p=0.000, r=0.67, p=0.000 respectively for males and r=0.69, p=0.000, r=0.77, p=0.000 respectively for females). This study reported that anthropometric variable such as age, height, BMI and BSA is positively correlated with both cranio-caudal and antero-posterior liver dimension.

Keywords: Ultrasound, Liver, Cranio-Caudal, Antero-Posterior, Dimension