Stature and longitudinal growth in thalassemia major. A study of 229 Greek patients.
A high percentage of Greek children with homozygous b-thalassemia were short and had a lag in growth, though some severely affected attained normal height. Bone age lagged significantly behind the chronologic age, even in those with normal height for their age. A longitudinal study demonstrated an initial normal growth velocity which decreased after the age of six for males and eight for females. No patient had a spurt of growth at adolescence. Height gain continued up to the age of 21 and then ceased. Statistical analysis with a multiple regression equation showed a significant relationship between the age and height of the patients. Low hemoglobin levels and severity of the disease seemed to hinder normal growth, but neither relationship was statistically significant.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000365:Age Determination by Skeleton; D000367:Age Factors; D001827:Body Height; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013789:Thalassemia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology
D006454:Hemoglobins