[Anthropometric parameters prognosticating a good final height in patients with Turner syndrome during growth hormone...

Growth hormone treatment in Turner girls is a widely accepted method of their final height improvement. However some patients do not reach satisfactory final height. The aim of the study was to evaluate the anthropometric parameters which would be prognostic for final height in children with Turner syndrome treated with growth hormone.

Data of 18 girls with Turner syndrome who completed growth hormone therapy and reached a final height were analysed. Mean age was 11.32+/-3.04 years. Correlations of final height with following parameters were analysed: trunk to limbs ratio, lower limbs length (in SDS), growth velocity in the first years of GH therapy. From among other characteristics which could determine the final height the karyotype, age at the start of GH therapy were evaluated.

The mean height gain in the group was 8.4 cm (range: 0.6-19.9 cm). Final height over 3rd percentile for the healthy population achieved 33.3% patients. Growth velocity in first 2 years of therapy correlated negatively with final height. Patients with final height over 3rd percentile had statistically significant greater mean height gain. Patients with low final height had a significantly greater deficit of leg length and increased Trunk/Leg Length index. Age at the beginning and duration of therapy had no influence on final height.

Better final height reach the patients who have more advantageous Trunk/Leg Length index before and during therapy, and reduction of leg length deficiency is relatively greater than height deficiency reduction.