Interindividual variation in pubertal growth patterns of ventilatory function, standing height, and weight

Area of Science:

• Pediatric growth and development
• Pulmonary function testing
• Longitudinal growth studies

Background:

• Pubertal growth shows significant individual variation.
• Understanding variations in growth patterns is crucial for accurate assessment.
• Existing reference equations may not capture individual adolescent development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate interindividual variations in pubertal growth patterns.
• To analyze peak growth velocities (PGV) and peak growth ages (PGA) for ventilatory function, height, and weight.
• To compare individual growth trajectories with average growth profiles.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal study of 144 Dutch schoolboys (ages 12.7 on average).
• Measurements of ventilatory function (FVC, FEV1, PEF, MEF50) and physical growth (height, weight) at ~0.5-year intervals.
• Individual PGV and PGA derived using regression splines; comparison with average growth curves.

Main Results:

• Wide 90% percentile ranges for PGA (~4.5 years) across all variables.
• Height PGA typically preceded ventilatory function PGA, with considerable time lag variation.
• Median PGVs were 1.25-1.40 times higher than estimates from average curves, indicating significant individual deviation.
• No differences in PGA/PGV based on prepubertal respiratory symptoms.

Conclusions:

• Individual pubertal development, particularly timing and intensity of growth spurts, deviates substantially from average patterns.
• Cross-sectional reference equations are inadequate for predicting individual adolescent development due to high interindividual variability.
• Future growth assessments should account for significant variations in PGV and PGA.