Brazilian growth charts for Williams-Beuren Syndrome at ages 2 to 18 years

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Genetics
• Public Health

Background:

• Williams-Beuren Syndrome (WBS) is a rare genetic disorder with distinct physical characteristics.
• Accurate growth monitoring is crucial for individuals with WBS to identify potential health issues.
• Existing growth charts may not accurately represent growth patterns in WBS populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and present the first gender-specific growth charts for weight-for-age, height-for-age, and body mass index (BMI)-for-age.
• To provide reference data for Brazilian children and adolescents diagnosed with Williams-Beuren Syndrome (WBS).
• To establish age-appropriate growth benchmarks for WBS patients aged 2 to 18 years.

Main Methods:

• A multicenter, retrospective, and longitudinal study design was employed.
• Data were collected from medical records of WBS patients across three university centers in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
• The Lambda Mu Sigma (LMS) method was utilized with LMSchartmaker Pro software to construct the growth charts.

Main Results:

• The study successfully generated the first Brazilian growth charts for weight-for-age, height-for-age, and BMI-for-age.
• These charts are stratified by gender and cover the age range of 2 to 18 years for WBS patients.
• The quality of the generated charts was assessed using worm plots.

Conclusions:

• The developed growth charts serve as a valuable tool for healthcare professionals.
• These charts can assist in guiding family members and improving health management for individuals with WBS.
• Implementing these specialized growth charts can lead to better health outcomes for WBS patients.