Growth Pattern of Childhood Thyrotoxicosis: Longitudinal Follow-Up to Final Height
Somchit Jaruratanasirikul MD*, Hutcha Sriplung MD**
Affiliation : * Department of Pediatrics, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla ** Epidemiology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla
Objective : To study the growth pattern of children affected with thyrotoxicosis.
Materials and Methods : A retrospective study of growth data of 40 patients with thyrotoxicosis diagnosed at
prepuberty or at early puberty was conducted. All patients were evaluated for height and weight every 3-6
months. Height and weight were transformed to standard deviation score (SDS) to account for differences of
age and sex.
Results : At the time of diagnosis, the patients were slightly underweight for height (weight SDS -0.27 (cid:31) 1.24,
height SDS -0.06 (cid:31) 1.26). After 1 year of treatment, the average weight gain of the patients was 4.9 (cid:31) 3.1 kg,
resulting in becoming relatively overweight for height (weight SDS +0.32 (cid:31) 1.42, height SDS +0.02 (cid:31) 1.32).
At the time of reaching their final height, the patients had an appropriate weight for height (weight SDS +0.06
(cid:31) 0.21, height SDS -0.04 (cid:31) 1.01). The average final height SDS of the patients was -0.04 (cid:31) 1.01. This was at the
average of the general population, but was +0.57 (cid:31) 0.48 SDS or +2.85 (cid:31) 1.0 cm greater than their target
height (p <0.01).
Conclusion : Growth of patients with thyrotoxicosis showed the same pattern as in the general population. The
final height of thyrotoxicosis patients was averagely +0.57 SDS or +2.85 cm greater than their genetic
potential. This could be from the result of secular trend in the general population rather than being the effect
of thyrotoxicosis.
Keywords : Graves disease, growth, thyrotoxicosis
