Approved Research

The effect of pediatric disease on final height

Lay summary

Chronic disorders in children can lead to short stature in adulthood, either due to the disorder itself or due to its medications. For many diseases and treatments, however, the impact on growth remains unknown. This study aims to investigate the influence of chronic childhood conditions on final adult height for both common and rare disorders. With this information, doctors would be able to identify conditions that require more attention to a child's growth, or situations where other treatments could be considered to help the child reach their full height potential. This research question is also important from a psychological perspective, especially for parents of children with chronic disorders who often experience great concern about their children's growth.

Our adult height is primarily determined by our genetics. A recent and very large genetic study has identified the majority of the genetic factors that determine final height. As a result, it is now possible to accurately predict a child's final adult height using solely genetic information. Interestingly, genetic information is a more accurate predictor of final height than using the heights of the child's parents. Because our genetic makeup is unique, this method can also be used to predict height differences between siblings.

By comparing the genetically predicated height with actual adult height, this study will investigate which childhood conditions impact growth. The UK Biobank, with its extensive data on measured heights, will allow the study to determine which childhood conditions do not impact height, which is important information for both doctors and worried parents.

Furthermore, electronic health records will be used to determine the ages at which the onset of chronic conditions has the greatest impact on adult height. This is particularly relevant as the skeleton undergoes the most growth during certain time-periods, such as the growth spurt that occurs during puberty. Finally, the study will also investigate whether boys and girls are impacted differently by certain childhood conditions in terms of their growth.