Validity of height velocity as a diagnostic criterion for idiopathic growth hormone deficiency and Turner syndrome.
A deflecting growth curve over several years is sometimes the only indication for the possible presence of a growth disorder. In this study we looked at the potential diagnostic role of long-term downward deflection of the growth curve. It reports on the diagnostic validity of height velocity over 1, 2 or 3 years for isolated idiopathic growth hormone deficiency and for Turner syndrome in prepubertal children with a height that is still above -2.5 standard deviation scores (SDS). 1-year height velocity was found to have no diagnostic value because of an almost complete overlap of height velocity distributions with normal prepubertal children. However, height velocity over 3 years was found to have an acceptable validity in children 5-12 years old. In this age range a change in height SDS of -0.75 can be used as a valid criterion for further examination of karyotype and GH secretion capacity even if there are no other clear signs of a particular growth disorder.
Van den Broeck
J
J
Dutch Growth Foundation, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Vandenbroeck@ngs.azr.nl
Hokken-Koelega
A
A
Wit
J
J
D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000172:deficiency*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014424:Turner Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology
D019382:Human Growth Hormone