Quantitating the effect of cystic fibrosis on linear growth by mathematical modelling of longitudinal growth curves
Related Experiment Videos
L B Barkhouse1, J Fahey, C T Gillespie
1Department of Pediatrics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
Insights
Cystic fibrosis (CF) delays pubertal growth spurts in children. Female patients show significant delays in growth milestones compared to males, impacting childhood development.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric endocrinology
- Growth modeling
- Systemic disease impact on development
Background:
- Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder affecting multiple organs.
- Linear growth impairment is a known complication in children with CF.
- Accurate models are needed to quantify growth disturbances in CF.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantitatively assess the impact of cystic fibrosis on linear growth patterns in children.
- To compare growth parameters between male and female CF patients and a reference population.
- To utilize the Preece and Baines (1978) growth model for detailed analysis.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of anthropometric measurements from 37 cystic fibrosis patients.
- Application of the Preece and Baines (1978) longitudinal growth model.
- Statistical comparison of growth parameters between CF subgroups and a reference cohort.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in growth parameters were observed in CF females compared to the reference population (p < 0.05).
- Female CF patients exhibited a 12-month delay in age at takeoff and a 14-month delay in peak height velocity.
- Male CF patients showed a 9-month delay in both age at takeoff and peak height velocity.
Conclusions:
- Cystic fibrosis significantly delays pubertal growth spurts in both sexes, with a more pronounced effect in females.
- The findings highlight sex-based differences in CF morbidity and growth impact.
- This quantitative approach aids in understanding CF progression and evaluating treatment efficacy.
Abstract:
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a systemic disorder that may compromise linear growth in childhood, but quantitating this effect requires accurate mathematical models for normal growth. Anthropometric measurements on a cohort of 37 CF patients were analyzed using the growth model of Preece and Baines (1978) which reduces longitudinal height data to 6 quantitative parameters. When parameter means for CF females (n = 19) were compared to the reference population in the Harpenden growth study, the overall difference was significant (p less than 0.05). Examination of the derived biological parameters revealed 12-month and 14-month delays in age at take off and peak height velocity, respectively, indicating that the pubertal growth spurt in female patients is delayed. Mean ages at take off and peak height velocity were delayed 9 months in the CF males (n = 18). These results reaffirm the observation that CF females experience greater morbidity in later childhood and adolescence than males, and illustrate a quantitative approach that should facilitate further examination of CF and the efficacy of different treatment modalities on the disease process in both sexes.