Twenty-one (14 girls/7 boys) patients diagnosed with SDS, were recruited to our study. A total of 62 measurements were collected from 2005 to 2019, with a median number of 3 observations per patient. All patients were of Caucasian and Polish origin with the median age at diagnosis of 2.7 years (range: 0.1–12.5 years). The median gestational age was 39 weeks (range: 33–41 weeks), the median weight at birth was − 1.2 SD (ranging from − 1.9 to + 0.7 SD) in the group of boys and − 0.7 SD (ranging from − 1.7 to + 1.5 SD) with regard to the girls. The median length at birth was − 1.4 SD (ranging from − 1.7 to 0.6 SD) for the boys and − 0.95 SD (ranging from − 1.7 to + 0.1 SD) for the girls.
Pancreatic insufficiency was observed in 6 boys (86%) and 11 girls (79%). All the patients, except for one, presented with neutropenia. Two patients (10%) at the age of 2 years old, underwent haematopoetic stem cell transplantation, due to bone marrow failure. Skeletal abnormalities such as metaphyseal dysostosis, cupping of the anterior ribs, delayed bone age, osteoporosis, clinodactylies and thoracic dystrophy were present in all patients. Thoracic dystrophy led to a preliminary diagnosis of Jeune syndrome or asphyxiating thoracic dystrophy (ATD) in one patient. GH deficiency requiring GH substitution therapy was diagnosed in 6 cases (29%) and treatment was started at a mean 8.3 years of age (range: 5–11 years). Other endocrinology diseases such as hypothyroidism (1 patient), primary adrenal insufficiency (1 patient) and diabetes mellitus (1 patient) were also diagnosed in this cohort. The patients’ characteristics are shown in Table 2.
Table 2
Patients’ characteristics | Study cohort |
Male | Female |
Total | 7 | 14 |
Gestational age, weeks | 39 [38–40] | 39 [33–41] |
Preterm | 0 | 2 (14) |
Weight at birth, SD | -1.2 [-1.9–0.7] | -0.7 [-1.7–1.5] |
Length at birth, SD | -1.4 [-1.7– -0.6] | -0.95 [-1.7–0.1] |
Age at diagnosis, years | 1.4 [0.1–3.5] | 3.3 [0.1–12.5] |
Pancreatic insufficiency | 6 (86) | 11 (79) |
Neutropenia | 7 (100) | 13 (93) |
Heart problems | 0 | 1 (7) |
Skeletal abnormalities | 7 (100) | 14 (100) |
Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation | 0 | 2 (14) |
GH treatment | 2 (29) | 4 (29) |
SD, standard deviation score; GH, growth hormone |
Values are n, n (%)or median [range]. |
The percentage is given in brackets and refers to the total count of male and female patients. |
In the analysed group of boys, the average calendar age was 6.4 ± 4.4 years (range: 0.8–13.8 years) and the average growth age was 4.9 ± 4 years (range: 0.2–11.7 years). In the girls’ group, the average calendar age was 6.2 ± 4.3 years (range: 0.3–17.7 years) and the average growth age was 4.5 ± 3.3 years (range: 0.1–12.2 years). Significant differences were observed between the calendar and growth age in both groups, which the average of about 1.5 years. Both groups were characterised by significantly lower body height (boys − 3.0 SD girls 2.6 SD) and lower BMI (boys − 1.4 SD, girls − 0.8 SD) with regard to the calendar age, and significantly lower weight (boys − 1.0 SD, girls − 0.5 SD) with regard to the growth age in relation to peer population (Table 3).
As far as the growth age is concerned (Table 4), the examined boys showed significantly decreased dimensions of lower limb length (-0.5 SD), chest width (-0.9 SD) and hip width (-0.5 SD), as well as longer upper limbs (+ 0.3 SD) and trunk (+ 0.2 SD).With regard to the remaining features (Table 5), i.e. shoulder width and chest depth, no significant differences were found in relation to the population of healthy children. Furthermore, as regards the calendar age, significant differences were observed in head parameters such as circumference (-2.5 SD) and width (2 SD) (Table 5).
The analyses of the data concerning the group of the girls, it was noticed that in relation to the growth age (Tables 4 and 5) they were characterised by a significantly lower length of the lower limbs (-0.7 SD), shoulder width (-1.0 SD), chest width (-1.7 SD), and increased dimensions of trunk length (+ 0.8 SD). As far as the remaining examined features are concerned, in relation to the growth age: longer upper limbs (+ 0.2 SD), as well as wider hips (+ 0.1 SD) and decreased chest depth (-0.3 SD) were found. Additionally, significant differences were also observed in head parameters such as circumference (-2.2 SD), length (-0.9 SD) and width (-1.4 SD) with regard to the calendar age (Table 5).
It is worth emphasising that both boys and girls, in relation to the growth age (Table 4), were characterised by longer trunk length (0.2 SD boys and 0.8 SD girls) and upper limb length (0.3 SD boys and 0.2 SD girls), as well as shorter lower limb length (-0.5 SD boys and 0.7 SD girls). Furthermore, with regard to the calendar age, both groups had significantly decreased head parameters such as head circumference and width (Table 5). The examined boys were shorter than girls and had lower weight and BMI (Table 3).
Based on the assessment of anthropometric parameters, it was found that the differences occurring in the studied boys and girls were visible both in relation to the calendar and growth age.