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Prevalence of severe growth hormone deficiency
Insights
Screening identified 449 short children, suggesting a higher prevalence of growth hormone deficiency (GHD) than previously reported. Current referral patterns may delay diagnoses, especially for girls and less severe cases.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Endocrinology
- Public Health
Background:
- Short stature in children can indicate underlying medical conditions.
- Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) is a significant cause of pediatric short stature.
- Current diagnostic pathways may not be capturing all affected children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of short stature and potential growth hormone deficiency (GHD) in a large cohort of children.
- To investigate whether current referral patterns contribute to missed or delayed diagnoses of GHD.
- To assess the impact of referral patterns on diagnosing GHD in specific demographics like girls.
Main Methods:
- Height screening of 48,221 children aged 6-9 years in three Scottish cities.
- Identification of children with short stature (over 2.5 standard deviations below the mean height for age).
- Subsequent screening for growth hormone deficiency (GHD) in the identified short children.
Main Results:
- 449 short children were identified through the screening process.
- The prevalence of severe GHD in the screened population was estimated to be as high as 1 in 4018.
- This prevalence is significantly higher than previously reported figures.
- Findings indicate potential delays or missed diagnoses in girls and children with less severe short stature.
Conclusions:
- The prevalence of severe GHD may be underestimated in existing literature.
- Current clinical referral practices may lead to delayed or missed diagnoses of GHD.
- Girls and children with milder forms of short stature appear to be disproportionately affected by diagnostic delays.
Abstract:
Four hundred and forty-nine short children, who were all over 2-5 standard deviations below the mean height for age, were identified by screening the heights of 48 221 6- to 9-year-old children in three Scottish cities. Most were screened for growth hormone deficiency (GHD). The prevalence of severe GHD in this sample may have been as high as 1 in 4018, much higher than reported. The findings suggest that present referral patterns may account for the delayed or missed diagnosis of the condition in girls or children with less severe short stature.