ESPE Abstracts

Introduction: Statural delay is a common reason for consultation in Endocrinology. It is defined as a length less than 2 DS or a slowdown in growth rate. Etiological research involves anamnestic and clinical data. The biological and radiological explorations permitted to select a primary or secondary etiology taking into account the frequency of idiopathic stature delay. The aim of our work is to analyze the clinical, etiological and evolutionary profile of stature and weight delay in patients admitted in our Department to explore a short stature.

Methods: This prospective study was carried out in the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases at the Mohammed VI University Hospital, Oujda, Morocco. Over a period of 5 years, 162 patients were included in the study. These patients were admitted in our Department for a short stature.

Results: The average of the age was 11 ± 0.5 years with a mean diagnosis age of 6 years. The sex ratio was 1.25 including 55% of boys. The average birth weight was 3034 grams. Patients presented a statural delay at – 3.5 DS moving from -1.5 DS to -7 DS, they were also underweight at -2.5 DS.

The stimulation test was carried out in 52% of patients, the coupled propranolol-Glucagen test was the most used test (62% of cases). The short stature secondary to growth hormone deficiency was retained in 28% of patients. The etiological profile was dominated by idiopathic delay observed in 32% of patients followed by the growth hormone deficiency in 28% of cases. The other causes of the short stature in our population were: syndromic stature retardation, chronic diseases, low birth weight, pubertal retardation, and constitutional bone diseases. Eighty percent of patients were treated with recombinant growth hormone. The average growth rate was 9 centimeters during the first year of treatment.

Discussion: Exploration of short stature is essential even in view of the frequency of idiopathic delay. Therapeutic management involves the treatment of causal disease and recombinant growth hormone for patients with growth hormone deficiency.