Endocrine Abstracts

Background and aims: Little is known about the long-term psychosocial effect of tallness and its treatment in male adolescents.¹ Therefore, psychosocial outcome, including adult coping with tall stature were investigated in young adult men, who had consulted for tall stature during adolescence.

Methods: All adult men (age >18 years) who had been referred for tall stature or rapid growth during adolescence (ages 11 to 16 years) between 2010 and 2013 in 3 Flemish University Hospitals and had bone age assessment, were invited to complete the SF36 instrument and a custom-made questionnaire. Relevant data were retrieved from their medical files.

Results: Of the 65 eligible subjects (having no underlying growth disorder and a normal mental development), 24 completed the psychosocial evaluation. Eight of them had been treated with high dose testosterone. Median (range) age was 20.5 (18 and 25) years and median self-reported height was 197 (185–207) cm. Current age and height were similar in the treated and untreated men, but predicted height was significantly higher in treated men (202.6 vs 198.9 cm, P < 0.05). The ideal adult stature mentioned by participants was 190 cm. At adolescence respectively 88 and 75% and at adulthood respectively 63 and 88% of treated and untreated men reported to be satisfied with their stature. In total 75% of treated and untreated men were satisfied with the received recommendation to treat or not. Median scores on the eight SF36 subscales were similar between treated and untreated men, with the exception of a lower median score on general health perceptions in treated men. Median SF36 subscale scores were not significantly different from an age matched British control group, with the exception of higher scores on role limitations due to emotional problems in tall men. Positive perception of stature during adolescence was correlated with better scores on social functioning and bodily pain.

Conclusion: The majority of young men,being between 5–17 cm taller than the population mean, who participated in a psychosocial assessment, were satisfied with their current stature and previous decision to receive growth suppressive hormonal treatment or not. Previously treated men however, had a lower score on general health perceptions.

Reference

1. Binder G. et al., European J Pediatr 1997 156 905–910.