ESPE Abstracts

WHO defines children born with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) as those with a birth weight below the 10th percentile of recommended birth weight by sex for gestational age. When gestational age is not available, a birth weight < 2500 g should be considered. The adult height in IUGR children treated with GH depends mainly on the duration of treatment and the age of initiation. Early diagnosis and early management before puberty are therefore imperative.

Aims: To study the auxological and diagnostic parameters of children with IUGR and to assess the response to treatment with growth hormone.

Materials and methods: This is a descriptive retrospective study over a period of 6 years (2014-2020) within the endocrinology consultation of the Pierre and Marie Curie Center (CPMC) in Algiers. It concerned the pediatric population entrusted to the center for short stature. The inclusion criterion is: a birth weight and/or height < −2 SD) and/or a birth weight < 2500 g The following data was collected: Events during pregnancy or childbirth as well as term and syndromic signs and skeletal abnormalities were sought. Child's age, height, weight, mother's and father's height, pubertal stage, GH treatment data and adverse events.

Results: The total number of children IUGR evaluated is 50 children, (25 girls and 25 boys), i.e. a sex ratio of 1. The average age of the consultation was 6.92 +3.15 years. A single syndromic case of Pierre Robbin syndrome has been documented. The average birth weight was 2.37 kg + 0.55 and the average birth height was 44.59 cm + 3.39. Of the 50 children, 45 benefit from treatment with rGH. The average age of these treated children was 8.21 years + 3.28. They presented an average delay of (-1.8DS) compared to the parental target size. Height gain in the first year of GH treatment averaged 7.64 cm + 2.19 Treatment monitoring did not reveal any adverse effects leading to treatment adjustment or discontinuation.

Conclusion: Despite efforts to promote early referral of IUGR children over the past decade in most countries, a varying percentage of these children present late. Treating early has been recommended since the 90s, effective advice, but which comes up against the persistence of rather late consultations. It seems desirable to us that as many children born as possible IUGR be referred to a specialist consultation at the ages of 2 to 4 years.