TO COMPARE THE GROWTH IN VARIOUS ETIOLOGICAL FACTORS LEADING TO SHORT STATURE IN THE PAEDIATRIC POPULATION IN THE AGE GROUP BETWEEN 1-15 YEARS.

Abstract

Background & Method: Growth is a continuous biological process subject to genetic, environmental, nutritional and hormonal influences. Altered growth potential may result from disturbance of any of these factors. Short stature, a common problem in the child population of developing countries. The present study was carried out in RKDF Medical College and Research Centre, Bhopal, M.P. This is a Prospective Cross Sectional study performed on All Children (Age 1-15 Years) Presenting to Out Patient Department. 151 cases were found to have short stature. These children were further evaluated for short stature.

Result: Type of short stature Proportionate short stature is more common (92.7 %) than disproportionate short stature (7.3%) in our study. Shows etiology wise distribution of proportionate short stature, Systemic disease leads the table with 45 %, followed by normal variant 37 %, endocrinal cause 15.8 % and genetic 2%. Chi square test revealed p value of 0.254 (<0.05) which is not significant. Shows various etiology of disproportionate short stature. Skeletal deformity due to rickets is most common being 55% followed by achondroplasia 27 %, TB spine 1 child (9%) and perthes disease 1 Child (9 %).

Conclusion: It is important to use appropriate growth charts and monitor growth velocity in a child with short stature and all school going children Conducting school health checkups maintaining proper school records of height and weight and counseling parents can help treating physicians to refer selected children and adolescents for further evaluation to specialist clinics. The shortcomings of this study include failure to calculate and plot growth velocity which requires a regular follow-up at six months to twelve months interval, which was not possible in this cross-sectional study. Secondly, it was a hospital based study where patients of chronic systemic diseases and critical illnesses are referred. Thirdly, the hospital is situated in an urban slum area so the majority of the patients belong to low socio-economic status with malnutrition being very common among them. 

Keywords: Short stature, Constitutional growth delay (CGD), Familial short stature (FSS), Growth hormone deficiency (GHD)