Resumen

ANIGSTEIN, Carlos R.. Longitud y diámetro del pene en niños de 0 a 14 años de edad. Arch. argent. pediatr. [online]. 2005, vol.103, n.5, pp.401-405. ISSN 0325-0075.

Introduction. In textbooks it is recommended to use USA reference values for penis size obtained in 1942/1943. Objective. To measure the length and diameter of penis in males from 0 to 14 years old living in Buenos Aires suburbs. Population, material and methods. A cross-sectorial design was applied for measuring the length and diameter of the penis in 431 boys from 0 to 5.9 years old examined in an outpatient clinic from in a public hospital and in another sample of 774 males from 6 to 14 years old from primary schools. The variables measured were pubertal development, testis size, and length and diameter of penis. All the measurements were performed by the same researcher. For the penis measurement technique an inextensible metric rule was used. The following measurements were performed: length and diameter of penis (mean, standard deviation and variation coefficient, length and diameter of penis according to pubic hair and genitalia Tanner's stages) and correlation with testis size, pubic hair and genitalia stage. Statistical tests used were bivariated correlation (Pearson's coefficient), the Kolmogorov-Sminorv test, the Shapiro-Wilk test and the Levene statistic test. Results. Boys from 0 to 30 days: length 3.3 cm (SD 0.4) and diameter 1.2 cm (SD 0.18), boys from 14 to 14.9 years: length 9.05 cm (SD 5.6) and diameter 2.8 cm (SD 0.60). Conclusions. Though the representating of the sample has some weaknesses, length and diameter may be used as indicators of penis size in our population. In the prepubertal period penis length is a more useful indicator of penis size, while in the pubertal period and thereafter, penis diameter is a more useful indicator. Penis diameter measurement is easier to obtain and discriminates better the change from Tanner GII to GIII (diameter > 2.1 cm).

Palabras clave : Reference values; Penis length and diameter; Prepuberty; Postpuberty.

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