Anthropometric Characterization of Down Syndrome Phenotypes in Children Aged 2- 18 years; A Case-Control Studies in Kaduna State, Nigeria

Down syndrome (DS) or Trisomy 21 is the most prevalent human chromosomal disorder with impact on multiple bodily systems. DS has been associated with a range of phenotypic effects, including altered physical characteristics. This study determined the anthropometric characteristics of children with Down syndrome in the tertiary health institutions in Kaduna State, Nigeria. A total of sixty (60) participants (children), between the ages of 2-18 years, were recruited for the study consisting of thirty (30) children with DS cases and thirty (30) normal (control; non-DS) children. All the participants were categorized into three age groups: 2-5 years, 6-10 years, and >10 years. Several anthropometric measurements were obtained from the participants which included head, body, hand and foot parameters, and some indices. Measured anthropometric characteristics were compared to the control group, and with respect to age categories. Results revealed significant (p<0.05) differences in height, body mass index, morphological facial height, head and hand breadth, hand and foot length, foot and cephalic indexes in DS compared to control participants. A strong positive correlation was observed between BMI, foot breath and foot length (p<0.05) in DS individuals. Relative to age categories, several anthropometric characteristics revealed significant differences when DS individuals were compared to the control. In conclusion, there exist remarkable differences in the anthropometric characteristics of children with Down syndrome and normal children in Kaduna State-Nigeria.

Key Words: Anthropometric indices, Down Syndrome, Hand and foot dimensions, Morphological facial height, Stature