Abstract
Background:
The aim of the study was to describe the referral pattern, baseline characteristics, and etiological profile of children referred with short stature in Kuwait.
Methods:
This is a cross-sectional retrospective review of children referred to the Endocrine Clinic with short stature. Short stature was defined as height or length below the 3rd centile or <–2 standard deviation score (SDS).
Results:
A total of 221 children were referred with no gender difference (p=0.346). Almost one fifth of these children had normal stature. Median (interquartile) age was 7.7 (4.7, 10.3) years and mean height SDS was –2.67 (0.68). The most common diagnoses were normal variants of growth, growth hormone deficiency (GHD).
Conclusions:
Our study highlights the need to improve the referral process in order to avoid unnecessary investigations and alleviate parental anxiety. There is no gender bias in short stature referrals in Kuwait. There is a need of further investigation of short stature in the region.
Acknowledgments
The authors gratefully acknowledge Dr. Rehab Maidan, Dr. Muneera Al-Haddad, and the endocrine nurses at the Department of Pediatrics, Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital for their efforts in data collection.
Author contributions: All the authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this submitted manuscript and approved submission.
Research funding: None declared.
Employment or leadership: None declared.
Honorarium: None declared.
Competing interests: The funding organization(s) played no role in the study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the report for publication.
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