title: [Analysis of the diagnosis process in short stature].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to analyze the diagnosis process of short stature.
  
  
  METHODS
  a retrospective, observational and analytical study in pediatric patients (age 0-17 years), who were referred with suspected diagnosis of short height was conducted. Descriptive and the kappa index statically measures were done to establish the diagnostic agreement between physicians who perform the reference and pediatric endocrinologists.
  
  
  RESULTS
  from a total of 341 patients referred only 78 patients met the selection criteria for our study. The basic protocol of study had to be completed by endocrinologists in 64 % of cases; the average duration of the entire diagnostic process (from the date of reference to endocrinologist until definitive diagnosis was issued) averaged 196 days. Final diagnoses were: pathological short stature (45 %), normal variants of growth (46 %) and normal growth (9 %). The diagnostic concordance between doctors who performed the reference and pediatric endocrinologists, determined using the kappa was 0.40 statistically significant (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  we recommend that primary care physicians must follow a protocol of study, in order to determine whether it is a normal variant of growth or short stature.
authors: Residents de Pediatria, Hospital de Pediatría, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Distrito Federal, México. jcarlos_nu@hotmail.com
authors: Juan Carlos
authors: JC
authors: Núñez-Enríquez
authors: Jesús
authors: J
authors: Arias-Gómez
authors: Elisa
authors: E
authors: Nishimura-Meguro
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019937:Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures; D004392:Dwarfism / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies