Final Adult Height in Patients with Turner Syndrome

Chung, So Chung; Park, Mi Jung; Kim, Duk Hi

Abstract

PURPOSE
Short stature is the most constant finding in Turner syndrome. Short stature in Turner syndrome has lately received considerable attention, mostly because of recent attemp to improve growth by hormonal treatments; growth hormone, oxandrolone, estrogen. The aim of this study was to find out whether growth promoting treatment would improve final height in girls with Turner syndrome.
METHODS
Seventy-one girls with the clinical chracteristics Turner syndrome verified by karyotype analysis were entered into this study. The following selection criteria for final adult height were used; Chronological age of more than 14years old, bone age of more than 15years old and growth velocity of less than 0.5cm per 6months. Analysis was performed by means of multiple regression analysis between descriptive data; modality of treatment with oxandrolone and/or estrigen, parental height, karyotype and final adult height.
RESULTS
1) The final adult height of untreated Turner syndrome was 138.9+/-3.9cm. 2)The final adult height in 29 GH treated Turner girls was 143.9+/-6.5cm, significant higher value than 42 GH untreated Turner girls height, 139.8+/-5.2cm(p<0.01). 3) The final height in GH only group and combined group were 141.2+/-6.0cm, 146.2+/-6.2cm, respectively. The combined therapy was more effective than GH therapy(p<0.01). 4) The final height in 32 patients with karyotype of 45,X was 141.6+/-5.6cm, and that of 31 structural aberration group was 140.3+/-6.2cm. There was no significant difference between two groups. But in mosaicism, only numeric abnormalities, the final height 145.9+/-6.1cm was much more higher than other two groups(p<0.05). 5) The final adult height in Turner syndrome was in good correlation with target height. Final adult height(cm)= 1.01*Target height(cm)- 4.97 r=0.51, p<0.05. 6) There was positive correlation between final adult height and height SDS at start GH treatment and negative correlation with age at start GH treatment. The delta height (final height - height at start treatment) correlate with GH treatment duration.
CONCLUSIONS
The final adult height in Turner syndrome in a given ethinic or national population varies in the same way as adult height in normal women. Growth hormone therapy may increase final height in Turner syndrome irrespective of ethinic or national difference. Further growth was observed in GH combined with estrogen or oxandrolone.