Final Height in Patients with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia

Abstract Background The final adult height of patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is usually less than the target height (TH). This could be attributed to androgen excess or treatment with steroids. Androgen excess can occur at any age leading to accelerated growth, early epiphyseal closure and compromised final adult height (Webb and Krone, 2015), (Charmandari et al., 2004). Aim evaluate growth and final height in children and adolescents with CAH. Methodology This retrospective study was conducted on 36 patients diagnosed with CAH, data was collected from patients' records within endocrinology clinic, Children's Hospital, Ain Shams University. Result Our patients had a mean final height and final height SDS of (161.68±6.48 cm and -0.41) and (151.03±6.1 cm and -0.67) for males and females respectively. Final adult height was less than target height (mean target heights were 168.8± 3.54 cm and 157.1± 6 cm for males and females respectively). The median target height in our study was 158.4 cm and mean target height SDS corrected to mid-parental target height was -0.43 ± (1.26). The mean daily hydrocortisone was 15.67 (± 3.26 SD) mg/m2 per day with range (9.9 – 24) mg/m2. There was no correlation between final heights and the cumulative doses and mean daily doses of hydrocortisone. There was no correlation between final height SDS in both sexes and age of starting steroid therapy. The bone age of our patients was advanced on average by 2 years compared to chronological age at final height. Conclusion the final height of CAH patients treated with glucocorticoids is lower than the population norms and is lower than what would be predicted based on parental height.