Evaluation of sexual dimorphism by discriminant function analysis of toe length (1T-5T) of adult Igbo populace in Nigeria

摘要

Background: Sex determination is an important and one of the foremost criteria in establishing the identity of an individual, and this is achieved byinvestigating various anatomical structures to establish sex discriminatory features. The present study conducted baseline data for the toe with aview of finding discriminatory sex characteristics. Materials and Methods: A total of 420 subjects were studied by direct linear measurements ofthe toe length (big toe [1T] to the fifth toes [5T]) of both feet using a digital Vernier caliper with accuracy of 0.01 mm. Statistical Package forSocial Sciences (IBM, version 23, Armonk, New York, USA), Levene?SQ?s ANOVA outcome informed the use of t-tests to compare meandifferences. Discriminant function analysis (DFA) was used to evaluate the possibility of sex categorization. The significance level was set at 95%.Results: The mean ± standard deviation values of the right (R) toes for the males were 49.63 ± 4.43 mm (1T), 36.92 ± 5.14 mm (2T), 30.35 ±4.95 mm (3T), 25.55 ± 3.97 mm (4T) and 22.21 ± 2.94 mm (5T), whereas the female values were 45.73 ± 4.07 mm (1T), 33.31 ± 4.66 mm(2T), 26.63 ± 4.02 mm (3T), 22.89 ± 3.43 mm (4T), and 19.77 ± 2.70 mm (5T). The left male values were 49.16 ± 4.32 mm (1T), 36.82 ±5.16 mm (2T), 30.88 ± 4.91 mm (3T), 26.13 ± 3.99 mm (4T), and 22.46 ± 3.24 mm (5T), whereas the female values were 45.33 ± 4.05 mm(1T), 33.05 ± 4.70 mm (2T), 27.27 ± 4.29 mm (3T), 23.10 ± 3.36 mm (4T), 19.81 ± 2.59 mm (5T). From the results, males displayedsignificantly higher mean values than females in all measured parameters (t = 2.405, P = 0.018) with no asymmetry (P > 0.05); although T3 andT4 were larger on the left foot. The DFA model when tested with the present data derived a significant ?DQ?F?DQ? likelihood ratio test (P <0.001), a Wilks?SQ? lambda predictability value of 0.759 having a model accuracy of 69.5% with a better prediction for female (70%) than males(69%). Conclusion: The use of toe length alone may not be effective for sex differentiation; however, it can serve as an adjunct in forensicinvestigation involving sex identification.