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Short stature in children with atopic eczema
1Department of Child Health, University of Manchester, England.
Insights
Children with severe atopic eczema have a 22% risk of short stature. Potential causes include steroid treatments, malnutrition, and vitamin D deficiency, impacting growth potential.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Dermatology
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Short stature affects 22% of children with severe atopic eczema requiring hospital care.
- The etiology of short stature in these children is often multifactorial and not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence and potential causes of short stature in children with severe atopic eczema.
- To identify factors contributing to growth stunting in this patient population.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of pediatric patients with severe atopic eczema.
- Assessment of height centiles, medical history, and treatment regimens.
Main Results:
- Short stature observed in 22% of the cohort.
- Identified contributing factors include topical and systemic steroid therapy, asthma, malnutrition, sleep disturbances, and vitamin D deficiency.
Conclusions:
- Short stature is a significant concern in children with severe atopic eczema.
- Growth outcomes depend on the underlying cause, with potential for catch-up growth if not steroid-induced and disease remission occurs before puberty.
- Permanent growth stunting may result from prolonged steroid use or persistent severe disease.
Abstract:
Short stature, defined as a standing height below the third centile when corrected for mid-parental height, was found in 22% of children with atopic eczema troublesome enough to cause regular attendance at hospital. The cause of this short stature is unknown in most cases, but contributory factors comprise topical steroid therapy, co-existing asthma, inhaled or oral steroid therapy, malnutrition due to unsupervised dietary restriction, loss of sleep, and vitamin D deficiency. If the short stature is simply associated with severe disease and not attributable to steroid therapy, and if the disease remits before puberty, then catch-up growth can be expected. If the short stature is caused by steroid therapy, or if severe disease persists into adult life, then permanent growth stunting may occur.