LINEAR GROWTH IN PREPUBERTAL CHILDREN WITH ATOPIC-DERMATITIS

Objective-To define the evolution of prepubertal growth in atopic derm atitis and the factors influencing that growth pattern. Methods-Height and height velocity over two years, weight, triceps and subscapular s kin fold thickness, and bone age were assessed in 80 prepubertal patie nts with atopic dermatitis and a control group of 71 healthy prepubert al school children. Results-Height standard deviation scores (SDS) and height velocity SDS did not differ between patients and controls, and were not influenced by body surface area affected by atopic dermatiti s, topical glucocorticoid potency, or coexisting asthma. However, heig ht SDS (r = -0.37) and height velocity SDS (r = -0.31) correlated inve rsely to age in patients but not in controls. A greater proportion (z = 2.84) of patients than controls had gear 2 height velocity SDS less than -1.96. Patients had a mean delay in bone age of 0.22 years and 0. 41 years at the beginning of year 1 and year 2 of the study, respectiv ely. The delay in bone age correlated positively with age (r = 0.39) a nd duration of atopic dermatitis (r = 0.39), and negatively with heigh t SDS (r = -0.51) and height velocity SDS (r = -0.38). Conclusions-Pre pubertal children with atopic dermatitis are not short compared with c ontrols. However, as they approach the teenage years their height velo city decreases, the proportion of children with extremely low height v elocity increases, and the delay in bone age increases. These features are consistent with the pattern of growth seen in people with constit utional growth delay.