DETERMINATION OF SUBPUBIC ANGLE IN EGYPTIAN POPULATION

Identification of sex in human skeletal remains is an important component and frequently the starting point of many forensic anthropological investigations. Skeletal biologists had recognized that each population group requires its own specific standards for accurate determination of sex. The pelvis is probably the most accurate bone from which sex can be determined. The subpubic angles show more definitive sex difference indicating the presence of interpopulation variations. This study was carried out to document regional and racial variability of these angles among Egyptians and comparing them with different population groups previously documented. The subpubic angle was measured in the antero-posterior radiographs of 400 adult Egyptians of known sex. The data was analysed using SPSS version 11 for statistical analysis. The results showed that the angles for males ranged from 66 to 126 degrees with a mean ± SD (102.31 ± 12.50) and for females from 96 to 191 degrees with a mean ± SD (143.28 ±15.82). The angles were significantly wider in females than males (P < 0.05). Using the demarking point method, 74% of Egyptian males and 86.5% of Egyptian females could be accurately sexed. In conclusion the subpubic angle is an anthropological characteristic of the Egyptian population that could be considerably used for sex determination with a high degree of accuracy.