Auxological computer based network for early detection of disorders of growth and weight attainment.
BACKGROUND
For several years practising pediatricians and pediatric endocrinologists in Leipzig have been collaborating closely to achieve early detection of growth disorders. As a result of this collaboration a data-bank was established in September 1998 into which height and weight measurements were entered and related to age and gender. This well established network of pediatricians in practice, pediatric endocrinologists and the auxological data-bank functions well.


METHODS
All data are anonymized and continually monitored. By September 2000, the data for 60,984 children had been assessed. The data were evaluated using the German Synthethic Norm Curve for body height and German normal data for BMI. Pathology of growth dynamics was assumed when change in height SDS was greater than 0.5 height SDS/year.


RESULTS
Analysis showed that 2,216 children (3.6%) had a height greater than the 97th percentile and 2,775 children (4.5%) had a height less than the 3rd percentile of the normative reference. BMI above the 97th percentile was found in 7,687 children (12.6%) and below the 3rd percentile in 2,678 children (4.4%). When assessing growth development (n = 5,665), 194 (3.4%) showed acceleration and 155 (2.7%) showed deceleration of growth.


CONCLUSIONS
The computer-based monitoring system is useful to document short-term and long-term changes of growth and weight attainment in the general population. The presence of growth disorders and/or disturbed weight gain can be detected early in the individual child.
Keller
Eberhard
E
Children's Hospital, University of Leipzig, Germany. kellere@medizin.uni-leipzig.de
Gausche
Ruth
R
Meigen
Christof
C
Keller
Alexandra
A
Burmeister
Jens
J
Kiess
Wieland
W
D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D003201:Computers; D019992:Databases as Topic; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis; D012016:Reference Values