Short Stature

Short stature
Classification and external resources
ICD-10	E34.3
ICD-9	783.43
DiseasesDB	18756
MedlinePlus	003271

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Ayesha Javid, MBBS[2]

Overview

Short stature is defined as a condition in which the height of an individual is in the 3rd percentile for the mean height of a given age, sex, and population group. According to Ranke (1996), “Short stature is defined as a condition in which the height of an individual is two standard deviations (SD) below the corresponding mean height of a given age, sex and population group.”

Classification

There are two types of short stature,

Proportionate short stature (PSS)

Proportionate short stature (PSS) is when the person is small, but limbs and trunk height are in proportions.

Disproportionate short stature (DSS)

Whereas in disproportionate short stature (DSS), this proportion is absent, and the individual shows a great difference in his sitting and standing height.

Causes

PATHOLOGIC CAUSES OF GROWTH FAILURE

Systemic disorders with secondary effects on growth

• Undernutrition
• Glucocorticoid therapy
• Gastrointestinal disease
• Rheumatologic disease
• Chronic kidney disease
• Cancer
• Pulmonary disease
• Cardiac disease
• Immunologic disease
• Metabolic diseases

Genetic Causes

Several genetic disorders have prominent effects on growth.

• Turner's Syndrome
• SHOX gene variant
• Prader-Willi Syndrome
• Noonan syndrome
• Silver-Russell syndrome
• Skeletal dysplasias/growth plate abnormalities

Endocrine Causes

• Cushing syndrome
• Hypothyroidism
• Growth hormone deficiency

Psychosocial short stature

It is a growth disorder that is observed between the ages of 2 and 15, caused by extreme emotional deprivation or stress.

The symptoms include decreased growth hormone (GH) and somatomedin secretion, very short stature, weight that is inappropriate for the height, and immature skeletal age. This disease is a progressive one, and as long as the child is left in the stressing environment, their cognitive abilities continue to degenerate. Though rare in the population at large, it is common in feral children and in children kept in abusive, confined conditions for extended lengths of time. It can cause the body to completely stop growing but is generally considered to be temporary; regular growth will resume when the source of stress is removed

Differential Diagnosis

• Endocrine disorders: Growth hormone deficiency (GHD), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), growth failure, constitutional growth delay, growth failure, stunted growth, structural brain abnormalities, or pituitary lesions, pituitary microadenomas, congenital hypothyroidism, idiopathic short stature, intrauterine growth deficiency, etc.

• Genetic disorders: Down syndrome, Turner syndrome, 3M syndrome, Noonan syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, Aarskog syndrome, Silver-Russell syndrome, etc.
• Bone diseases: Dwarfism, Achondroplasia (short-limbed dwarfism), diastrophic dysplasia (short-limbed dwarfism), spondylo-epiphyseal dysplasia (short-trunk dwarfism), rickets, etc
• Chronic disorders: Cystic fibrosis, Crohn disease, juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), anemia, chronic renal insufficiency, inflammatory bowel disorder, chronic malnutrition, etc
• Psychological distress

Epidemiology and Demographics

In the United States, 2.5% of the population is short. A study conducted on the school children age 4-16 years in the South Indian Population shows the overall prevalence of short stature was 2.86%.

Gender

People of both sexes are affected, but males are more likely to be brought to medical attention because of the prevalence of social expectations.

Age

• Different ethnic groups have different average statures, which are essential to take into consideration while comparing mean parameters.

Treatment

Medical Therapy

• The primary management of short stature should be to treat the underlying cause.
• If the short stature is caused due to a hormonal deficiency it should be managed with hormonal treatment.
• The mainstay of therapy for [disease name] is [medical therapy 1] and [medical therapy 2].
• [Medical therapy 1] acts by [mechanism of action 1].
• Response to [medical therapy 1] can be monitored with [test/physical finding/imaging] every [frequency/duration].

Surgery

• Surgery is the mainstay of therapy for [disease name].
• [Surgical procedure] in conjunction with [chemotherapy/radiation] is the most common approach to the treatment of [disease name].
• [Surgical procedure] can only be performed for patients with [disease stage] [disease name].

Prevention

• There are no primary preventive measures available for [disease name].

• Effective measures for the primary prevention of [disease name] include [measure1], [measure2], and [measure3].

• Once diagnosed and successfully treated, patients with [disease name] are followed-up every [duration]. Follow-up testing includes [test 1], [test 2], and [test 3].