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Updated: Sep 7, 2025

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
[What is the best method for estimating final height in patients with precocious puberty?]
Daniela Quiroga1, María José Bruera2, Josefa Vidaurre2
1Hospital de Los Ángeles, Los Ángeles, Chile.
Abstract:
Central precocious puberty is the premature activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, leading to an early epiphyseal fusion and, in many cases, heights below the genetic target. Therefore, a proper adult stature prediction is essential for the treatment decision.
Objective:
To compare the concordance of final height using height prediction made by two validated methods versus the ge netic target height in girls who consulted due to central precocious puberty.
Patients And Method:
Retrospective, non-concurrent cohort study including 93 girls with central precocious puberty, who were not treated with LHRH analogs and had reached their final adult height. The data was obtained from the clinical records. To predict height, the Bayley-Pinneau method and the Roche-Wainer- Thissen method were applied, and the results were compared with the genetic target height. The concordance between the estimated final height and the final height obtained was evaluated using the Bland-Altman method.
Results:
When comparing the final height obtained with that predicted by the Bayley-Pinneau method, there was a mean difference of 1.01 cm, and using the Rocke-Wainer- Thissen method, there was a difference of +0.96 cm. The calculation of the genetic target height showed a difference of +0.05 cm with respect to the final height.
Conclusion:
The prediction of height made by the Bayley-Pinneau and Roche-Wainer-Thissen methods was adequate and, contrary to expectations, it was similar to the calculation of the genetic target height that does not use the age of bone maturation. This also presented better concordance and less dispersion of the results with respect to the final height obtained.
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