Abstract:

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate anthropometric characteristics; to determine the degree of negative deviation from genetic height potentials and diagnostical characteristics according to short stature levels; to examine the role of idiopatik short stature cases without any chronic systemic disease admitted to Ankara University Medical School Pediatric Endocrinology Policlinic.Material and methods: Anthropometric characteristics and diagnosis of 200 cases without chronic disease were evaluated in two stages; all cases were considered without short stature level (STAGE I), and according to short stature level (STAGE II). According to short stature level, the cases were divided into three gruops; mild (negatif devation -2 SD or less), moderate (between -2.1 and -2.99 SD), and severe (-3 SD or more).Findings: STAGE I: The cases were late admissions (10.61±3.42 years) with severe height loss (-2.94±1.12 SD) and their heights were less than expected than their genetic potentials. The idiopathic short stature cases were divided in two subgroups; normal variant idiopathic and pathological idiopathic. Among them, 33.5% of cases were normal variant shortness (familial shortness 9.5%, constitutional shortness 19%, normal variant idiopathic shortness 5%), 66.5% of cases were pathological shortness (causes were determinated 62% and could not be found in 4.5%).STAGE II: 12.5% (-2 SD or less), 51.5%, (between -2.1 and -2.99 SD), and 36% (-3 SD or more) of the subjects had mild, moderate and severe deviation, respectively. The regression of height from genetic potential was determinated in mild shortness 40%, in moderate shortness 72% and severe degree shortness 93%. In mild shortness, normal variant was 72%, pathological shortness was 28%; in moderate shortness normal variant was 47.4%, pathological shortness was 52.6%; in severe shortness pathological shortness was 100%. The growth hormone deficiency was detected in all 3 groups, including mild shortness.Results: Etiology of short stature in subjects from child endocrinology policlinic was not consistent with the etiology of normal population sample. The moderate and severe shortness was 87,5% of all cases, so the frequency of pathological shortness was higher than normal variant shortness observed. Only mild shortness group had a normal vs pathological shortness ratio resembling normal population sample. It was considered that idiopathic short stature cases were not homogenius, and it was not possible to evaluate all cases as only normal variant or pathological shortness; therefore, idiopathic shortness cases were classified as normal variant idiopathic and pathological idiopathic. The control of concordance of height to genetic potential was an important measurement in cases with mild height deviation. Our results showed that the control of height deviation along with the concordance of height to genetic potential was an important factor while interpreting short children

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