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[Catch-up growth and final height in celiac disease]
A Luciano1, M Bolognani, A Di Falco
1Verona University, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatrics, Verona City Hospital, Verona, Italy.
Summary
Children diagnosed with celiac disease experience growth retardation that improves with a gluten-free diet. This study shows treated celiac patients achieve satisfactory final height, demonstrating effective catch-up growth.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Gastroenterology
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Celiac disease in infancy/early childhood can cause growth retardation.
- A gluten-free diet is the standard treatment for celiac disease.
- Growth recovery after diagnosis and treatment is expected.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate long-term growth patterns in children treated for celiac disease.
- To assess catch-up growth and final height achievement.
- To identify factors influencing growth outcomes in treated celiac patients.
Main Methods:
- Study included 35 patients diagnosed with typical celiac disease.
- Analyzed height standard deviation scores (SDS) at diagnosis, target height, and final height.
- Used linear regression to correlate final height SDS with age at diagnosis, height SDS at diagnosis, and target height SDS.
Main Results:
- Patients exhibited short stature at diagnosis (mean height SDS -0.75).
- Final mean height SDS was 0.41, indicating growth towards or exceeding target height.
- No significant correlations were found between final height SDS and age/height at diagnosis or target height.
Conclusions:
- Catch-up growth was complete in most treated celiac patients.
- Satisfactory final height was achieved irrespective of diagnosis age or initial height.
- One adolescent patient diagnosed late failed to reach target height.