Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: The causes of short stature are various and their frequency depends on whether we consult in pediatric or endocrinology.

Although endocrine pathology is involved in a little <10% of cases, its recognition is important because it leads to a specific treatment that enhances the stature prognosis.

Aim: Search etiologies statural delays observed in endocrinology and assess the frequency of GH deficiency.

Population methodology: 800 patients were followed at two departments of endocrinology in 13 years. All patients underwent a complete clinical examination specifying auxological characteristics and a systematic review (overall balance, FT₄, TSH, IGF1, and bone age). The explorations were completed according to the context.

Results: The etiologies of delay stature are following: constitutional 28% delay puberty, 17% familial, 22.65% visceral, and inflammatory disorders 34%, endocrine abnormalities 16.20, small gestatinal 3.03%, chromosomal disorders 1.87%, constitutional bone diseases 1.15%, steroid therapy 0.14%, and underfeeding 0.14% growth insufficiency represented 13.27% of the causes of delay stature. primary hypothyroidism and hypoparathyroidism represent 3.17 and 0.28% of cases.

Discussions and conclusion: 3/4 of delay stature are not related to endocrine etiology. Constitutional and familial short tall associated or not with delayed puberty represent more than half of etiologies.

20% of cases are related to visceral affections dominated by digestive malabsorption (Giardiasis and celiac disease).

The low proportion of hypothyroidism in our series (3.17%) is reassuring, knowing that neonatal screening is nonexistent. systematic realization of karyotype in front of a small girl is difficult in our country. Of this fact the proportion of Turner syndrome is unknown and certainly underestimated.