METACARPAL INDEX IN SHORT STATURE BEFORE AND DURING GROWTH-HORMONE TREATMENT

Aims-To assess the usefulness of the metacarpal index (MCI) as a radio graphic measure of the proportions of the metacarpals in the different ial diagnosis of short stature. To investigate the significance of the MCI in following the longitudinal growth and proportions of individua l long bones during growth hormone stimulated catch up growth in child ren with short stature with and without growth hormone deficiency. Sub jects-124 children, including 65 children with short stature caused by growth hormone deficiency, 13 with familial short stature, 29 with id iopathic short stature, and 17 with Ullrich-Turner syndrome. Methods-R etrospective analysis of the MCI in five posterior-anterior radiograph s of the left hand of all patients, which were performed sequentially for routine bone age determinations (Greulich and Pyle) before and dur ing the first three years of growth hormone treatment. Results-The MCI was similar in all patient groups, resembled that of healthy children , and correlated significantly with chronological age, bone age, and h eight before and during growth hormone treatment. Despite a remarkable growth hormone stimulated catch up growth, the MCI did not change sig nificantly during growth hormone treatment. Conclusions-The role of th e MCI is insignificant in the diagnosis of short stature, but the MCI can serve as an auxological measure of osseous proportions during long itudinal growth. Growth hormone treatment accelerates longitudinal gro wth without affecting the proportions of the long bones, indicating th at growth hormone stimulated bone growth closely resembles spontaneous bone growth.