title: A method of screening for growth hormone deficiency using anthropometrics.
abstract: Among children less than 3rd percentile in height, less than 1% are deficient in endogenous growth hormone, while 80% have no recognizable organic cause for short stature, and are termed normal variants. This study investigated whether anthropometric evaluation can distinguish growth hormone-deficient from normal variant children. Height, weight, midarm circumference and 10 skinfold thicknesses were measured in 24 growth hormone-deficient and 26 normal variant children; indices of linear growth, adiposity, and lean body mass were derived from these. All these variables were analyzed statistically by discriminant analysis. This led to a screening formula, here called a "Z-function," based only on height and five skinfolds (abdomen, back, chest, knee, and calf). The Z-function classified correctly all but two growth hormone-deficients and two normal variants. Because of the small and possibly inhomogeneous sample, the particular formula developed here is not recommended for general use, but these preliminary findings show that a simple anthropometric screening test is indeed feasible, and could be useful in pediatric practice.
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D000293:Adolescent; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods*; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000172:deficiency*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D008433:Mathematics; D012885:Skinfold Thickness
chemical_list: D013006:Growth Hormone