Adult height of patients with classical congenital adrenal hyperplasia.
OBJECTIVE
Data on factors that affect the final height of patients with classical congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) are limited. This study investigated the factors that can affect height outcome of patients with classical CAH.


METHODS
A retrospective study of 44 patients (16 males, 28 females) with classical CAH who had attained the adult height without gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog therapy was conducted. Adult height standard deviation scores (AHSDS) and target height standard deviation scores (THSDS) were determined. The impact of type, gender, control of disease activity or occurrence of precocious puberty on height was analyzed.


RESULTS
The difference between AHSDS and THSDS of the 44 patients was -0.7 +/- 1.0 and was greatest in simple-virilizing males (-1.1 standard deviation score [SDS]). However, no significant differences in height outcomes were identified between genders and types. The differences between AHSDS and THSDS of patients with good control of disease activity or normal puberty were -0.3 SDS and -0.4 SDS, respectively, which were better height outcomes than those of the other groups (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Classical CAH can lead to reduced adult height. Good control of disease activity and the prevention of the occurrence of precocious puberty is important to achieving normal adult height outcome.
Tung
Yi-Ching
YC
Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Lee
Jing-Sheng
JS
Tsai
Wen-Yu
WY
Hsiao
Pei-Hung
PH
D000312:Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000328:Adult; D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011629:Puberty, Precocious / Q000503:physiopathology; D012016:Reference Values; D012189:Retrospective Studies