Table 5

Measurements (mean ± SD) at the L4 level, including comparisons of sex, ethnicity, and age.

DemographicVBAH (mm)VBPH (mm)VBSL (mm)VBIL (mm)VBPL (mm)SA (°)
 Total 29.6 ± 1.8 28.3 ± 2.1 35.7 ± 3.8 36.0 ± 3.7 33.7 ± 3.2 3.6 ± 3.6
Sex
 Female 29.3 ± 1.8 27.2 ± 2.0 33.1 ± 2.7 33.3 ± 2.8 31.4 ± 2.4 5.1 ± 3.6
 Male 29.8 ± 1.8 28.9 ± 2.0 37.2 ± 3.5 37.5 ± 3.3 35.1 ± 2.8 2.6 ± 3.2
 P  0.071 <0.001  <0.001  <0.001  <0.001  <0.001
Ethnicity
 Māori 29.3 ± 1.9 27.7 ± 2.0 36.1 ± 4.0 36.3 ± 3.6 34.0 ± 3.2 4.1 ± 3.3
 European 29.8 ± 1.8 28.7 ± 2.2 35.4 ± 3.7 35.8 ± 3.8 33.6 ± 3.2 3.2 ± 3.6
 P  0.075 0.002  0.011  0.037  0.079 0.052
Age
 Beta (mm/yr) -0.006 0.008 0.086 0.081 0.064 0.000
 P  0.402 0.263 <0.001  <0.001  <0.001  0.970
 PH (mm)  PW (mm)  VCL (mm)  VCW (mm)  Canal:body ratio
 Total 13.6 ± 1.4 12.1 ± 2.1 14.8 ± 1.9 24.0 ± 2.1 0.47 ± 0.10
Sex
 Female 12.9 ± 1.3 11.2 ± 2.2 14.8 ± 1.6 23.7 ± 1.9 0.52 ± 0.10
 Male 14.0 ± 1.3 12.6 ± 1.9 14.8 ± 1.6 24.1 ± 2.2 0.44 ± 0.08
 P  <0.001  <0.001  0.933 0.148 <0.001
Ethnicity
 Māori 13.6 ± 1.4 12.3 ± 2.4 14.6 ± 1.9 23.9 ± 1.9 0.47 ± 0.11
 European 13.6 ± 1.5 11.9 ± 1.9 14.9 ± 1.9 24.1 ± 2.2 0.47 ± 0.09
 P  0.987 0.114 0.456 0.672 0.773
Age
 Beta (mm/y) 0.007 0.015 0.008 0.024 -0.001
 P  0.147 0.048  0.281 0.002  0.116

  • Note: Canal:body ratio, ratio of canal length to vertebral body length at the pediculolaminar level.

  • PH, pedicle height; PW, pedicle width; SA, segmental angle; VBAH, vertebral body anterior height; VBIL, vertebral body inferior length; VBPH, vertebral body posterior height; VBPL, vertebral body pediculolaminar length; VBSL, vertebral body superior length; VCL, vertebral canal length; VCW, vertebral canal width.