SPONTANEOUS GROWTH IN IDIOPATHIC SHORT STATURE

Documenting the spontaneous growth pattern of children with idiopathic short stature (ISS) should be helpful in evaluating the effects of gr owth promoting treatments. Growth curves for children with ISS were co nstructed, based on 229 untreated children (145 boys and 84 girls) fro m nine European countries. The children were subdivided according to t arget range and onset of puberty, and the growth of these subgroups wa s evaluated from standard deviation scores (SDS). At birth, children w ith ISS were already shorter than normal (means; boys - 0.8 SDS, girls - 1.3 SDS). Height slowly decreased from - 1.7 SDS at the age of 2 ye ars to - 2.7 SDS at the age of 16 years in boys and 13 years in girls. Final height was - 1.5 SDS in boys and - 1.6 SDS in girls (mean (SD): boys 164.8 (6.1) cm, girls 152.7 (5.3) cm)), which was 5-6 cm below t heir target height. The onset of puberty was delayed (boys 13.8 (1.3) years, girls 12.9 (1.1) years). Subclassification resulted in similar growth curves. These specific growth data may be more suitable for eva luating the effects of growth promoting treatments than population bas ed references.