Sonographic Assessment of Tendo Calcaneus Thickness in a Nigerian Population

Abstract

Aim: We aimed to determine tendo calcaneus thickness(TCT) and its relationships with body mass index (BMI), fasting blood sugar, and age and to determine gender impact on TCT in a Nigerian population.

Materials and Methods: The present study adopted a cross‑sectional descriptive research design to assess the TCT of 264 adult  participants of a Nigerian population aged 30 years and above. A gray‑scale high‑resolution ultrasound machine, Sonoace 5500,  manufactured by Medicol in Korea, with a 10 MHz transducer was used to obtain the sonographic measurements of the tendo  calcaneus. The study was carried out at Assurance Medical Diagnostic and Research Center, Calabar. The weight and height of the participants were measured using an electronic weighing scale and meter rule, respectively. Only participants/volunteers who
gave their informed consent for the study were included in the study. Ethical approval for the study was obtained from the Human Research and Ethical Committee of Assurance Medical Diagnostic and Research Center, Calabar, Cross River State. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS software version 16.0 (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences Inc., Chicago, IL, USA).

Results: A strong positive correlation was obtained between TCT and gender (r = 0.72; P < 0.05); TCT also had a positive relationship with BMI (r = 0.421; P < 0.05). The male had significantly thicker tendo calcaneus (5.8 ± 1.4 mm) than their female (5.1 ± 1.6 mm) counterpart (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: Results of the present study show that TCT is gender specific and may be useful in cardiovascular risk stratification due to its relationship with BMI, weight, and age, which are known risk factors of tendinopathy and cardiovascular disease.

Keywords: Tendinopathy, tendo calcaneus, thickness, ultrasound