Please confirm topic selection

Are you sure you want to trigger topic in your Anconeus AI algorithm?

Please confirm action

You are done for today with this topic.

Would you like to start learning session with this topic items scheduled for future?

Review Question - QID 102764

In scope icon M 10 E
QID 102764 (Type "102764" in App Search)
A concerned mother presents to clinic stating that her 14-year-old son has not gone through his growth spurt. She states that, although shorter, he had been growing at the same rate as his peers until the past year, when he continued to grow at the same rate as he did previously, but his peers started to grow more rapidly in height. There is no evidence of delayed puberty in the mother, but the father's history is unknown. The patient has no complaints. On physical exam, the patient is a healthy-appearing 14-year-old boy whose height is below the third percentile and whose weight is at the 50th percentile. His bone age is determined to be 11 years. A laboratory workup, including thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), is unremarkable. What is the most likely diagnosis?

Constitutional growth delay

70%

7/10

Familial short stature

10%

1/10

Hypothyroidism

0%

0/10

Celiac disease

0%

0/10

Growth hormone deficiency

20%

2/10

Select Answer to see Preferred Response

bookmode logo Review TC In New Tab

This patient has constitutional growth delay. Appropriate management would include close follow-up for changes in growth velocity or onset of pathology; no interventions are indicated at this time.

Constitutional growth delay is a diagnosis of exclusion. Patients will typically present with short stature (<3rd %tile or > 2 standard deviations (SDs) below mean height for age), no signs of systemic illness, and delayed bone age. Either one or both parents will also have a history of late-onset puberty. Importantly, patients will have demonstrated normal growth (at least 2 inches per year) over their lifespan.

Barstow et al. discuss the evaluation of patients with short stature. Initial evaluation starts with a thorough history and physical. The patient should have growth velocity and midparental height calculated. Midparental height (MPH) is determined as follows: Male MPH= [Dad's height (in) + (Mom + 5 in)]/2; Female MPH= [(Dad - 5 in) + Mom]/2. Bone age should be determined by comparing a radiograph of the left wrist to those in a standardized database. Medications should be reviewed, paying particular attention to steroid use, ADHD drugs and anticonvulsants. If an endocrine or gastrointestinal disorder is suspected, the patient should have the requisite blood work drawn (complete metabolic panel, IGF-1, TSH etc.).

Rogol et al. review the differential diagnosis of short stature in children and adolescents. Patients are considered to have normal variant short stature (familial short stature or constitutional short stature) when growth velocity per year is normal. Patients with pathological variants do not have normal growth velocity. Causes can be prenatal (genetic, environmental, viral) or postnatal (malnutrition, social neglect, gastrointestinal, endocrine etc.). If a patients height is >3 SD below mean for age, then there is almost always an underlying pathology causing short stature.

Incorrect Answers:
Answer 2: This answer choice is unlikely, as the patients bone age is less than chronological age.

Answer 3: This answer is incorrect because the patient has a normal TSH and no other signs or symptoms of hypothyroidism

Answer 4: Celiac disease is unlikely in this scenario, as the patient does not have any gastrointestinal symptoms, signs of malnourishment, or any other laboratory abnormalities.

Answer 5: Growth hormone deficiency is unlikely because this patient has been growing at a normal growth velocity every year.

REFERENCES (2)
Authors
Rating
Please Rate Question Quality

3.3

  • star icon star icon star icon
  • star icon star icon star icon
  • star icon star icon star icon
  • star icon star icon star icon
  • star icon star icon star icon

(4)

Attach Treatment Poll
Treatment poll is required to gain more useful feedback from members.
Please enter Question Text
Please enter at least 2 unique options
Please enter at least 2 unique options
Please enter at least 2 unique options