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Growth Disturbance (growth + disturbance)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	100%

Selected Abstracts

Phenotypic diagnosis of dwarfism in six Friesian horses

EQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL, Issue 3 2008
W. BACK
Summary An extreme form of abnormal development, dwarfism, is common in man and some animals, but has not been officially reported in horses. Within the Friesian horse breed, congenital dwarfism has been recognised for many years, but no detailed report exists on its phenotype. The most salient feature of the dwarf syndrome is the physeal growth retardation in both limbs and ribs. Affected animals have approximately 25% shorter fore- and hindlimbs and approximately 50% reduced bodyweight. Post natal growth is still possible in these animals, albeit at a slower rate: the head and back grow faster than the limbs and ribs leading to the characteristic disproportional growth disturbance. Thus, mature dwarfs exhibit a normal, but a relatively larger head conformation, a broader chest with narrowing at the costochondral junction, a disproportionally long back, abnormally short limbs, hyperextension of the fetlocks and narrow long-toed hooves. Furthermore, a dysplastic metaphysis of the distal metacarpus and metatarsus is radiographically evident. Microscopic analysis of the growth plates at the costochondral junction shows an irregular transition from cartilage to bone, and thickening and disturbed formation of chondrocyte columns, which is similar to findings in osteochondrodysplasia. [source]

Sagittal spinal alignment in patients with Legg-Calve-Perthes disease

PEDIATRICS INTERNATIONAL, Issue 5 2007
HIROSHI KITOH
Abstract Background: Legg-Calve-Perthes disease (LCPD) is an avascular necrosis of the capital femoral epiphysis in children. Several studies found a pathophysiological relationship between LCPD and juvenile Scheuermann's kyphosis, suggesting an abnormal spinal condition related to osteochondrogenesis. In the present study sagittal spinal alignment of the patients with LCPD was analyzed to examine associated spinal involvement. Methods: A standing lateral radiograph of the spine was evaluated in 78 patients who had a history of LCPD. Various parameters of sagittal spinal alignment, including thoracic kyphosis (TK), lumbar lordosis (LL), sacral inclination (SI), apex of thoracic kyphosis (TK-apex) and lumbar lordosis (LL-apex), and sagittal balance (SB; positive SB values represent a sagittal balance in front of the sacrum) were measured and compared between the patients with and without vertebral abnormalities. Results: Compared to previously published normative data, relatively decreased LL was evident in LCPD. Most of the patients (65%) had negative SB, which was correlated with decreased SI, more proximal TK-apex, and more distal LL-apex. Vertebral abnormalities including end-plate irregularities and wedging vertebrae were observed in 20 patients. Decreased SI, more distal LL-apex, and more negative SB were remarkable in the patients with vertebral abnormalities. Conclusions: The patients tended to stand in greater negative sagittal balance associated with decreased LL. The characteristic sagittal alignment was prominent especially in the patients with vertebral abnormalities. Wedging vertebrae, probably due to growth disturbance of the vertebral bodies, could result in decreased LL, which leads to posterior pelvic tilt and posterior shift of sagittal balance. [source]

Radiologic features in juvenile idiopathic arthritis: A first step in the development of a standardized assessment method

ARTHRITIS & RHEUMATISM, Issue 2 2003
Marion A. J. Van Rossum
Objective To describe radiologic features of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) in a standardized manner, to test the reliability and feasibility of this description, and to correlate these features with clinical signs as a first step in the development of a standardized assessment method. Methods The placebo-controlled study of sulfasalazine in patients with oligoarticular, extended oligoarticular, and polyarticular JIA performed by the Dutch Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Study Group yielded the data for this study. All trial entry radiographs (clinically involved joints and contralateral joints) were scored (in consensus by a skeletal radiologist and pediatric rheumatologist) for the presence of swelling, osteopenia, joint space narrowing, growth abnormalities, subchondral bone cysts, erosions, and malalignment. Results Data on 67 of 69 patients were analyzed. The mean age was 9.1 years (range 2.5,17.6 years), and the median disease duration was 24 months (range 5,176 months). Thirteen percent of the patients were IgM rheumatoid factor (IgM-RF) positive, and 16% were HLA,B27 positive. All 68 clinically evaluated joints were included in the maximum of 19 radiographed joints (or joint groups) per patient. The mean number of radiographed joints per patient was 7 (range 2,15); knees, hands, ankles, and feet were most frequently affected. Fifty-eight patients (87%) had radiologic abnormalities in at least one joint (soft-tissue swelling in 63% of patients, growth disturbances in 48%, joint space narrowing in 28%, and erosions in 15%). In total, half of the radiographs of the clinically involved joints showed radiologic abnormalities, including two-thirds of the radiographs of the clinically affected hands and knees. Univariate analysis revealed a good correlation between the overall articular (clinical) severity and the presence of radiologic abnormalities (odds ratio [OR] 1.38, P < 0.0001). Multivariate analysis showed increased ORs for the presence of radiologic abnormalities and IgM-RF positivity (OR 4.6, P = 0.005) or HLA,B27 positivity (OR 3.0, P = 0.004). In general, reproducibility of the radiologic scoring method was good (mean kappa coefficient of 0.74 [range 0.40,0.86]), although there were scoring discrepancies for swelling, osteopenia, and growth disturbances. The scoring took 10,20 minutes per patient. Conclusion Our model of describing and scoring radiologic abnormalities of radiographed joints in JIA was feasible, mostly reproducible, correlated well with the overall articular severity score, and added substantial new information not available on clinical examination. [source]

Children's growth: A health indicator and a diagnostic tool

ACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 5 2006
Lars Gelander
Abstract The publication of Werner and Bodin in Acta Paediatrica should inspire countries to use the growth of children as an indicator of health. The development of databases that cover all measurements of all children that have contact with healthcare and medical care will provide new knowledge in this area. Such databases will give us the opportunity to explore health in different areas of the country and to evaluate community projects in order to prevent obesity. Conclusion: Growth charts that are used to identify sick children or children that have other causes for growth disturbances must reflect how a healthy child should grow. If such prescriptive growth charts are computerized together with regional databases, they will provide necessary growth data for descriptive health surveys. [source]