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Body proportions in individuals with Turner syndrome

European Journal of Pediatrics volume 152, pages 813–817 (1993)Cite this article

Abstract

The body proportions in 191 individuals with Turner syndrome (TS) were investigated. At 3 years of age the mean sitting height in TS was normal, thereafter trunk growth was impaired, resulting in a standard deviation score (SDS) of −2.4 in the adult. From 3 to 12 years of age the mean SDS of leg length increased from −2.7 to −3.6; and then fell to −2.5. At 3 years of age the ratio of sitting height to leg length was 3.2 standard deviations (SD) above the normal mean. Thereafter the ratio slowly approached the normal percentiles. It was +0.6 SD in 15-to 18-year-old women. Thereafter it increased to 1.7 for adults with TS. Knemometric measurements in 32 individuals with TS and 32 controls revealed that in TS the upper legs were relatively shorter than the lower legs. We conclude that children with TS, and to a lesser extent adults, have a disproportionately short stature with relatively short legs whereas body proportions are almost normal in adolescents.

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Abbreviations

TS:

Turner syndrome

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Author information

Affiliations

  1. Department of Paediatrics, Division of Paediatric Endocrinology, University Hospital Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9101, NL-6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    C. Rongen-Westerlaken

  2. Department of Paediatrics, Division of Paediatric Endocrinology, The Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    B. Rikken, P. Vastrick, A. H. Jeuken, M. Y. de Lange, J. M. Wit & J. L. Van den Brande

  3. Department of Biostatistics, State University Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    I. van der Tweel

Authors
  1. C. Rongen-Westerlaken
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  2. B. Rikken
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  3. P. Vastrick
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  4. A. H. Jeuken
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  5. M. Y. de Lange
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  6. J. M. Wit
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  7. I. van der Tweel
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  8. J. L. Van den Brande
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Consortia

the Dutch Growth Hormone Working Group

Additional information

The investigators who participated in this study were: A. v. Trunenbroek, B. I. Otten, S. M. P. F. de Muinck Keizer-Schrama, S. L. S. Drop, H. A. Delemarre van den Waal, R. J. H. Odink, N. H. Drayer, W. Oostdijk, J. Stokvis-Brantsma, M. H. Gons, J. J. J. Waelkens, H. M. Reeser, and W. J. Gerver

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Rongen-Westerlaken, C., Rikken, B., Vastrick, P. et al. Body proportions in individuals with Turner syndrome. Eur J Pediatr 152, 813–817 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02073377

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02073377

Key words

  • Turner syndrome
  • Body proportions