Is growth saltatory? The usefulness and limitations of frequency distributions in analyzing pulsatile data

Endocrinology
M L JohnsonMichelle Lampl

Abstract

Several investigators have proposed that descriptive statistics can be employed to identify and discriminate growth patterns. These studies assumed that the shape of the frequency distribution of daily growth velocities (FDGVs) is diagnostic in differentiating between a pattern of growth characterized by smooth, continuous daily acquisition and a pattern of growth characterized by a discontinuous, i.e. pulsatile process. The FDGV from a saltation and stasis, i.e. episodic or pulsatile, growth pattern was assumed to be bimodal or significantly skewed to the right, whereas a continuous growth function was assumed to be approximately Gaussian. The use of FDGV characteristics is an unprecedented approach to the analysis of longitudinal growth data and was not previously validated for this use. The present study investigates the performance characteristics of the FDGV method by Monte-Carlo simulations of known saltatory, i.e. pulsatile, growth patterns. These analyses show that the FDGV for a saltation and stasis growth process can be either unimodal or bimodal and either skewed to the right or to the left. Data collection frequency, measurement error, and total study duration all determine the shape of the FDGV and the statistical ...Continue Reading

Citations

Aug 30, 2008·Psychological Review·Karen E AdolphFelix Gill-Alvarez
Jan 1, 1997·American Journal of Human Biology : the Official Journal of the Human Biology Council·Michelle Lampl, Michael L Johnson
Jun 13, 1998·Annals of Human Biology·M LamplM L Johnson
Jun 13, 1998·Annals of Human Biology·M Lampl, M L Johnson
Nov 10, 2020·Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition·Meghana N SatheEric First

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