SHORT STATURE

Course overview

SHORT STATURE IS DEFINED AS A CONDITION IN WHICH AN INDIVIDUAL'S HEIGHT IS IN THE 3RD PERCENTILE FOR THE MEAN HEIGHT OF A GIVEN AGE, SEX, AND POPULATION GROUP. IT CAN BE ASSESSED THROUGH VARIOUS INSTRUMENTS SUCH AS MEASURING TAPE, STADIOMETER, ANTHROPOMETRIC ROD, INFANTOMETER, ETC. VARIOUS TERMINOLOGIES HAVE BEEN USED TO DESCRIBE SHORT STATURE BASED ON THE CAUSE. THESE INCLUDE IDIOPATHIC SHORT STATURE, FAMILIAL SHORT STATURE, CONSTITUTIONAL SHORT STATURE, CONSTITUTIONAL DELAY OF GROWTH, ADOLESCENCE (CDGA), ETC. THE DIAGNOSIS OF SHORT STATURE REQUIRES BIOCHEMICAL AND RADIOLOGICAL TESTS, INCLUDING NUTRITIONAL ASSESSMENT, HORMONAL ASSESSMENT, AND ESTIMATION OF BONE AGE. THE PRIMARY MANAGEMENT OF SHORT STATURE AIMS AT ALLEVIATING THE UNDERLYING CAUSE, INCLUDING GONADOTROPIN-RELEASING HORMONE ANALOGS (GNRHA), AROMATASE INHIBITORS, RECOMBINANT HUMAN INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH FACTOR- 1 (RHIGF-1), LOW-DOSE ANDROGEN THERAPY, RECOMBINANT HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE (RHGH), ETC. IN ADDITION TO TREATING THE UNDERLYING CAUSE, INDIVIDUALS SUFFERING FROM PSYCHOSOCIAL DISTRESS SHOULD BE PROVIDED WITH COUNSELING AIMED AT IMPARTING COPING MECHANISMS. THIS ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS THE DIFFERENT SHORT STATURE TYPES, INCLUDING DISCUSSING THE UNDERLYING PATHOGENESIS, DIAGNOSIS, AND ASSOCIATED TREATMENTS. IT REVIEWS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE CARE OF THIS CONDITION.