TURNERS-SYNDROME - SPONTANEOUS GROWTH AND BONE MATURATION

Background.- Since growth hormone is effective in increasing the heigh t of girls with Turner's syndrome, it is important to dispose of growt h and bone maturation curves in a large number of untreated patients. Population and methods.- Data on growth mid bone maturation were colle cted from 160 patients with Turner's syndrome (50 have reached final h eight), bent 1965-1991, untreated with growth hormone or anabolic ster oids. X monosomy was found in half of the patients, mosaicism or X abn ormality was present in the other half Spontaneous puberty occurred in 25% (n = 25) of patients older than 13 years, 38 patients received es trogen after 13 years. Final heights were compared to predicted height according to Lyon's method. Results.- Forty-five percent of patients were small for date. Height velocity decreased from 2 years of age and decreased faster during adolescence, when gonadal dysgenesis occurred . Bone maturation velocity decreased also during adolescence. Excessiv e weight appeared after the age of 5 years. Patients with partial dele tion of the long arm of X (n = 6) were taller than the other girls (n = 44) (mean +/- DS) 152.5 +/- 3.1 cm range 150-158 nn versus 142.5 +/- 4.9 cm 130-150 cm (P < 0.0001). Final height was,lot modified by spon taneous puberty. Final height was correlated with birth weight (r = 0. 7), maternal height (r = 0.5) and mid parental height (r = 0.5). Final ly, the Lyon 's method for predicted final height seemed to be suitabl e for this population, (r = 0.8, P < 0.001). Conclusion.- Approximate growth curve is an essential clinical tool in evaluating treatment aim ed at increasing final stature in patients with Turner's syndrome.