Objectives: To find the appropriate method for age estimation for different ages and sexes.
Methods: The costal cartilage, sternum and pubic symphysis of 91 unknowns from 2000 to 2020 from the Forensic Department of the Criminal Investigation Team of Shanghai Public Security Bureau were collected. Costal cartilage, sternal and pubic symphysis inferences were used to estimate the age, and the consistency between the estimated results and the actual physiological age of the unknowns was tested. The accuracy of age estimation of different samples was compared, and the relationship between accuracy and age and sex was analyzed.
Results: Using the costal cartilage method, the inference errors of males, females and the whole population under 40 years old were (0.608±2.298) years, (0.429±1.867) years and (0.493±2.040) years, while those over 40 years old were (-1.707±3.770) years, (-3.286±4.078) years and (-2.625±4.029) years. The differences between different age groups in these three populations were statistically significant (P<0.05). Using the sternum method, the inference errors of males and females under the age of 40 were (0.921±3.019) years and (0.452±1.451) years, while those over the age of 40 were (-5.903±5.088) years and (-1.429±2.227) years. The differences between different age groups in males and females were statistically significant (P<0.05). Using the pubic symphysis method, the inference errors of males and females under 40 years old were (-0.204±1.876) years and (0.238±2.477) years, while those over 40 years old were (1.500±2.156) years and (-2.643±4.270) years. The differences between different age groups in males and females were statistically significant (P<0.05). Using the sternum method and pubic symphysis method for age estimation of over 40 years old, the difference between different sexes was statistically significant (P<0.05).
Conclusions: All three methods of age estimation are stable and effective and more accurate for people under 40 years old. For age estimation of unknowns over 40 years old, the pubic symphysis method is preferred in males and the sternum method is preferred in females.
目的: 寻找适合不同年龄段和性别的年龄推断方法。方法: 收集上海市公安局刑事侦查总队法医室2000—2020年鉴定的91例未知名尸体的肋软骨、胸骨和耻骨联合3种检材，分别采用肋软骨推断法、胸骨推断法、耻骨联合推断法推断年龄，并将推断结果与尸体实际生理年龄进行一致性检验。比较不同检材推断年龄的准确性及与年龄、性别的关系。结果: 使用肋软骨法，40岁以下的男性、女性、整体人群的推断误差分别为（0.608±2.298）、（0.429±1.867）、（0.493±2.040）岁，40岁以上的为（-1.707±3.770）、（-3.286±4.078）、（-2.625±4.029）岁，3组人群在2个年龄段间差异均有统计学意义（P<0.05）；使用胸骨法，40岁以下的男性、女性的推断误差分别为（0.921±3.019）、（0.452±1.451）岁，40岁以上的为（-5.903±5.088）、（-1.429±2.227）岁，3组人群在2个年龄段间差异均有统计学意义（P<0.05）；使用耻骨联合法，40岁以下的男性、女性的推断误差分别为（-0.204±1.876）、（0.238±2.477）岁，40岁以上的则为（1.500±2.156）、（-2.643±4.270）岁，3组人群在2个年龄段间差异均有统计学意义（P<0.05）。对于40岁以上的样本，使用胸骨法和耻骨联合法推断年龄，不同性别之间差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。结论: 3种年龄推断方法均稳定且有效，对40岁以下人群更准确。对于40岁以上样本的年龄推断，男性首选耻骨联合，女性首选胸骨。.
Keywords: age estimation by skeleton; costal cartilage; forensic anthropology; pubic symphysis; sternum.