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Published on: October 16, 2013
Study of primary IGF-1 deficiency in Egyptian children with idiopathic short stature
Ghada M Anwar1, Wafaa A Kandeel, Iman A Mandour
1Department of Pediatrics, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt. ghanwar@kasralainy.edu.eg
Insights
Primary insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) deficiency (IGFD) affects 28% of Egyptian children with idiopathic short stature (ISS). These children exhibit lower birth weight and height SDS, and delayed bone age compared to peers without IGFD.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Growth Disorders
- Metabolic Disorders
Background:
- Idiopathic short stature (ISS) is defined as short stature without identifiable causes.
- Primary insulin-like growth factor-1 deficiency (IGFD) is characterized by low IGF-1 levels without growth hormone (GH) deficiency.
- Evaluating IGFD in children with ISS is crucial for accurate diagnosis and management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the prevalence of IGFD in Egyptian children diagnosed with ISS.
- To describe the clinical characteristics of children with IGFD.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 50 Egyptian children with ISS (height SDS ≤-2.5, prepubertal).
- Exclusion criteria included secondary causes of short stature and pubertal status.
- IGFD was defined as IGF-1 levels below the 2.5th percentile in the absence of GH deficiency.
Main Results:
- Primary IGFD was diagnosed in 14 out of 50 (28%) children with ISS.
- Children with IGFD showed significantly lower birth weight SDS (-1.8 vs. -0.7) and height SDS (-4.2 vs. -3.1) compared to non-IGFD children.
- IGFD patients also exhibited more delayed bone age (2.6 vs. 1.6 years).
Conclusions:
- Primary IGF-1 deficiency is a significant finding in 28% of Egyptian children presenting with idiopathic short stature.
- IGFD in children with ISS is associated with poorer anthropometric parameters and skeletal maturation delays.
Background/Aims:
Primary insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) deficiency (IGFD) is defined by low levels of IGF-1 without growth hormone (GH) deficiency and absence of secondary causes. The aim of this study was to evaluate IGF-1 in Egyptian children with idiopathic short stature (ISS) and describe patients with IGFD.
Methods:
This cross-sectional study included 50 children with ISS following up at the Diabetes Endocrine and Metabolism Pediatric Unit at Cairo University Pediatric Hospital. Children were included based on the following criteria: (1) short stature with current height standard deviation score (SDS) ≤-2.5; (2) age between 2 and 9 years in boys and 2 and 8 years in girls, and (3) prepubertal status. Exclusion criteria were: (1) identified cause of short stature and (2) pubertal children. IGF-1-deficient children were defined as children without GH deficiency and with IGF-1 levels below the 2.5th percentile.
Results:
Among 50 children with ISS, 14 (28%) patients had low IGF-1 levels, consistent with the diagnosis of primary IGFD. When compared with non-IGFD children, IGFD children had lower birth weight SDS (-1.8 vs. -0.7 SDS, p < 0.0001) and lower height SDS (-4.2 vs. -3.1 SDS, p < 0.05) and more delayed bone age (2.6 vs. 1.6 years, p = 0.001).
Conclusion:
Primary IGF-1 deficiency is found in 28% of children with ISS.
