Growth represents a sentinel for general health state in children and adolescent. Linear growth in children and adolescent is a complex process influenced by numerous factors including genetic, prenatal, postnatal, and environmental factors. When children less than 2 standard deviation score below the average height for age and sex, they are considered as short stature. Accurate measurement of body profile and determination of height velocity over time are fundamental step. Whether the growth pattern is appropriate or deviated from standardized growth chart is a key point in approaching to short stature in children. Evaluation includes a detailed past medical and family history, physical examination, laboratory test and radiologic evaluation. Recent advances in genetic approaches are allowing for improved diagnosis for idiopathic short stature and various genetic syndromes. Growth hormone is the main treatment option for short stature. It is generally safe but has potential side effects. Individualized growth hormone treatment should be initiated under consideration of both efficacy and safety by pediatric endocrinologists. Early diagnosis and prompt initiation of treatment result in a good prognosis.This article reviews an overview of the diagnostic approach to children and adolescents with short stature, and summarizes etiologies and growth hormone treatment.

Children born small for gestational age (SGA) have several life-long consequences. Previous epidemiological studies investigated from childhood to adulthood reported that a number of chronic diseases originate in the prenatal period. With the emerging era of obesity epidemic, more concerns are related to being obese than being short-statured in SGA children. The exact mechanisms are uncertain; however, growth hormone-insulin-like growth factor axis disturbance by fetal programming and accelerated postnatal weight gain contributed to central adiposity in SGA children. In this review, we summarized the definitions and prevalence of SGA, epidemiology, and general risks of obesity in SGA children. Early interventions, before and after birth, are needed for healthy catch-up growth to prevent later obesity and related complications.
Adiposity ; Child ; Chronic Disease ; Early Intervention (Education) ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Epidemiology* ; Fetal Development ; Gestational Age* ; Humans ; Obesity* ; Parturition ; Prevalence ; Weight Gain

PURPOSE: Low vitamin D level is common in adults with diabetes mellitus (DM). We assessed vitamin D level and its associated factors in Korean youth with type 1 DM. METHODS: Type 1 DM cases (n=85) and healthy controls (n=518) aged < 20 years were included and grouped into 3 categories according to vitamin D level: deficiency ( < 20 ng/mL), insufficiency (20–30 ng/mL), or sufficiency (≥30 ng/mL). RESULTS: The mean serum vitamin D level was significantly lower (21.6±8.5 ng/mL vs. 28.0±12.0 ng/mL, P < 0.001) and vitamin D deficiency prevalence was significantly higher (48% vs. 26%, P < 0.001) in type 1 DM cases than in healthy controls. Logistic regression analysis revealed that type 1 DM cases were more likely to have vitamin D deficiency (P=0.004), independent of sex, age, and body mass index. Type 1 DM cases with vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency were mainly diagnosed in winter (November to April) (P=0.005), and the duration of diabetes was longer than in those with vitamin D sufficiency (P=0.046). However, season of diagnosis, duration of diabetes, prescribed daily insulin dose, and glycosylated hemoglobin and C-peptide levels were not associated with 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) level in type 1 DM cases after adjustment for other factors. CONCLUSIONS: We recommend assessment of serum 25(OH)D level in type 1 DM cases and to treatment if findings indicate insufficiency. Further studies investigating the mechanisms underlying vitamin D deficiency in youth with type 1 DM are needed.
Adolescent* ; Adult ; Body Mass Index ; C-Peptide ; Case-Control Studies ; Child* ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1* ; Diagnosis ; Hemoglobin A, Glycosylated ; Humans ; Insulin ; Logistic Models ; Prevalence ; Seasons ; Vitamin D ; Vitamin D Deficiency

Hyponatremia and hyperkalemia in infancy can be attributed to various causes, originating from a variety of renal and genetic disorders. Pseudohypoaldosteronism type 1 (PHA1) is one of these disorders, causing mineralocorticoid resistance that results in urinary salt wasting, failure to thrive, metabolic acidosis, and dehydration. PHA1 is heterogeneous in etiology. Inactivating mutations in the NR3C2 gene (4q31.1), which encodes the mineralocorticoid receptor, causes a less severe autosomal dominant form that is restricted to the kidney, while mutations in the amiloride-sensitive epithelial sodium channel gene (alpha subunit=SCNN1A, 12p13; beta subunit=SCNN1b, 16p12.2-p12.1; gamma subunit=SCNN1G, 16p12) causes a more severe autosomal recessive form, which has systemic effects. Here we report a neonatal case of kidney restricted PHA1 (renal type of PHA1) who first showed laboratory abnormalities before obvious PHA1 manifestations, with two functional polymorphisms in the NR3C2 gene. This is the second genetically confirmed case in Korea and the first to show functional polymorphisms that have previously been reported in the literature.
Acidosis ; Dehydration ; Epithelial Sodium Channels ; Failure to Thrive ; Humans ; Hyperkalemia ; Hyponatremia ; Infant, Newborn* ; Kidney ; Korea ; Male* ; Pseudohypoaldosteronism* ; Receptors, Mineralocorticoid*

Sometimes, the clinical findings and the results of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulation test are inconsistent in girls with early breast development and bone age advancement. We aimed to investigate the factors predicting positive results of the GnRH stimulation test in girls with suspected central precocious puberty (CPP). We reviewed the records of 574 girls who developed breast budding before the age of 8 yr and underwent the GnRH stimulation test under the age of 9 yr. Positive results of the GnRH stimulated peak luteinizing hormone (LH) level were defined as 5 IU/L and over. Girls with the initial positive results (n = 375) showed accelerated growth, advanced bone age and higher serum basal LH, follicle-stimulating hormone, and estradiol levels, compared to those with the initial negative results (n = 199). Girls with the follow-up positive results (n = 64) showed accelerated growth and advanced bone age, compared to those with the follow-up negative results. In the binary logistic regression, the growth velocity ratio was the most significant predictive factor of positive results. We suggest that the rapid growth velocity is the most useful predictive factor for positive results in the GnRH stimulation test in girls with suspected precocious puberty.
Age Determination by Skeleton ; Breast/growth & development ; Child ; Estradiol/blood ; Female ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone/blood ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone/*analysis ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Luteinizing Hormone/blood ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Puberty, Precocious/*diagnosis ; ROC Curve ; Retrospective Studies

Cavernous hemangiomas of the mediastinum are rare tumors. A 3 year and 8 month-old female patient was referred because of an abnormal chest radiograph. Chest X-ray revealed abnormal shadow occupying nearly the entire left thoracic cavity. Surgical excision was performed and pathologic diagnosis was confirmed as 15X10 cm sized cavernous hemangioma. On the eighth postoperative day, the patient was discharged without any complications and has been followed up without any problems.
Diagnosis ; Female ; Hemangioma ; Hemangioma, Cavernous* ; Humans ; Infant ; Mediastinum* ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Thoracic Cavity ; Thorax

Cavernous hemangiomas of the mediastinum are rare tumors. A 3 year and 8 month-old female patient was referred because of an abnormal chest radiograph. Chest X-ray revealed abnormal shadow occupying nearly the entire left thoracic cavity. Surgical excision was performed and pathologic diagnosis was confirmed as 15X10 cm sized cavernous hemangioma. On the eighth postoperative day, the patient was discharged without any complications and has been followed up without any problems.
Diagnosis ; Female ; Hemangioma ; Hemangioma, Cavernous* ; Humans ; Infant ; Mediastinum* ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Thoracic Cavity ; Thorax

Few studies have investigated the long-term effects of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist treatment on the reproductive function of central precocious puberty (CPP) girls. In this cross-sectional study, we assessed the ovarian function by analyzing the serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels of CPP girls. Our study included 505 CPP girls subdivided into 5 groups according to the GnRH agonist treatment stage: group A (before treatment, n = 98), group B (3 months after initiation, n = 103), group C (12 months after initiation, n = 101), group D (24 months after initiation, n = 101), and group E (6 months after discontinuation, n = 102). We compared the serum AMH levels of the CPP girls with those of 100 bone age-matched controls (before treatment: n = 55; after discontinuation: n = 45). At baseline, the mean AMH level of the CPP girls was 5.9 ± 3.6 ng/mL. The mean AMH level after 3 months of the GnRH agonist treatment was lower (4.7 ± 3.2 ng/mL, P = 0.047) than that at baseline and recovered after 12 months of treatment. Six months after discontinuation, the AMH levels were similar to those at pre-treatment. Before and after the GnRH agonist treatment, the AMH levels were similar to those of the bone age-matched controls. In the precocious puberty girls, the AMH levels based on the GnRH agonist treatment stage were all within the normal reference range. The results of this study suggest that GnRH agonist treatment has no adverse effects on the reproductive function.
Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female* ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone* ; Humans ; Ovarian Reserve ; Puberty, Precocious* ; Reference Values

The effect of anesthetic volume on the spread of hypobaric tetracaine were sutdied after intrathecal injection in thirty patients with prone jackknife and 15 degree Trendelenburg position for perinal surgery. The patients were assigned randomly into the one of three groups divided by the 3, 4, or 5 ml of volume of anesthetic solution. The results show that the volume of tetracaine in distilled water with hypobaric spinal anesthesia in prone jackknife and l5 degree Trendelenburg position had a important effect on the anesthetic dermatomal levels in spite of slightly rapid onset with large. volume. Therefore, we concluded that for the perianal surgery in prone jackknife position, as the volume of the anes- thetic solution with hypobaric spinal anesthesia, 3 or 4 ml of the volume are sufficient to get the adequate anesthetic levels.
Anesthesia, Spinal* ; Head-Down Tilt ; Humans ; Injections, Spinal ; Tetracaine ; Water

A hyperglycemic hyperosmolar state is usually associated with type 2 diabetes. It has significant mortality and morbidity and is rare in the pediatric population. We describe a rare case of a 15-year-old boy with type 2 diabetes who presented to the emergency department with a mixed hyperglycemic hyperosmolar state and diabetic ketoacidosis. Excessive consumption of high-sugar carbonated drinks may have worsening the initial presentation. The patient recovered without any complications. We highlight the fact that gradual correction of osmolarity and sodium is important to avoid cerebral edema despite severe dehydration.
Adolescent* ; Brain Edema ; Carbonated Beverages ; Dehydration ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2* ; Diabetic Ketoacidosis* ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Humans ; Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar Nonketotic Coma ; Male* ; Mortality ; Osmolar Concentration ; Sodium