Morphometric sex determination from various sternal widths of Northwest Indian sternums collected from autopsy cadavers: A comparison of sexing methods

Abstract

The sternum is one of the least studied bones of human thoracic skeleton for sex determination both in forensic anthropology as well as in archeology. In the present study, the relationship between various sternal widths and known sex of the deceased was studied in a sample of 343 adult human sternums based on anthropometric measurements. A comparison was also made with different widely used methods of sex determination. The sternubrial width index was found to be the poorest indicator of sex, whereas all the other variables were equally suitable for sex determination. The criteria of demarking points (calculated from mean±3SD) failed in sex determination of the studied sternums. The identification points correctly sexed more percentage of bones than the demarking points which are considered more reliable covering more than 99.67% of cases. The limiting points proved to be a best method for almost all the variables, sexing about 70–80% of the sternums examined for this purpose. The multivariate discriminant function analysis (DFA) of various sternal widths correctly sexed 84% sternums (Males=82.1%, Females=89%). The sex of a sternum of Northwest India can be estimated using equation F (D)=−13.166+0.087 BB-1+0.088 BB-2+0.150 BB-4+0.040 MBX+0174 WS-1 (group centroids i.e., 0.508 for male and −1.408 for female). From the logistic regression analysis, 86.6% sternums (93.3% males and 68.1% females) were assigned the correct sex category, thus giving slightly better results than DFA. Comparatively more males were correctly sexed than females using almost all the criteria except DFA. In conclusion, regression analysis was found the best statistical method of sex determination from various sternal widths studied in the present study.