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Linear growth and skeletal maturation in subjects with treated celiac disease

G Gemme1, M Vignolo, A Naselli

  • 1Instituto di Clinica Pediatrica, Università di Genova, Italy.

Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition
|September 1, 1999
PubMed

Insights

Early treatment for celiac disease (CD) in children did not fully prevent long-term growth deficits. Patients experienced slight negative effects on growth, including reduced height and skeletal maturation, despite adherence to a gluten-free diet.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Endocrinology
  • Gastroenterology

Background:

  • Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disorder triggered by gluten ingestion.
  • Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial for managing CD and its complications.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the long-term growth and development outcomes in children diagnosed with celiac disease.
  • To assess the impact of early gluten-free diet initiation on growth parameters.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal growth monitoring of 26 pediatric celiac disease patients (diagnosed before 2.5 years) over a median of 15.3 years.
  • Assessment of height, skeletal age, weight, and body mass index (BMI) from diagnosis through adulthood.
  • Inclusion criteria: typical celiac disease presentation and adherence to a gluten-free diet.

Main Results:

  • Patients exhibited a tendency towards short stature, underweight, and delayed skeletal maturation at diagnosis.
  • Complete catch-up in height and skeletal age was not achieved after 3 years of dietary treatment.
  • Slightly below-average height and continued skeletal maturation delay were observed during childhood and adolescence.

Conclusions:

  • Early treatment and diligent follow-up for celiac disease do not entirely mitigate negative impacts on growth.
  • Long-term growth deficits may persist despite adherence to a gluten-free diet in pediatric CD patients.
  • Individual variations in growth profiles highlight the complex interplay of factors affecting development in treated celiac disease.
Abstract

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