Catch-up growth and final height in celiac disease.

Background: Growth retardation resulting from celiac disease diagnosed in infancy or in early childhood is remediable after introduction of a gluten-free diet. The aim of this study was to evaluate long-term growth, catch-up growth and final height in a group of treated patients with celiac disease.

Methods: The study population consisted of 35 patients (13 M, 22 F) with typical celiac disease. Age at diagnosis was 1.17 (+/- 0.69) years. For each patient, the standard deviation score (SDS) and centile of height at diagnosis, target height and final height were elaborated, and linear regression and correlations between SDS of final height and age at diagnosis, SDS of height at diagnosis and SDS of target height, respectively, were calculated.

Results: At diagnosis patients had a general tendency to short stature: mean height was 81.8 cm +/- 22.9 cm (SDS -0.75 +/- 1.61), while target height was 164.3 cm +/- 13.5 cm (SDS -0.14 +/- 1.04) and final height 169.2 cm +/- 7.7 cm (SDS 0.41 +/- 1.04). Linear regression and correlations between SDS of final height and age at diagnosis, SDS of height at diagnosis and SDS of target height, respectively, proved nonsignificant.

Conclusions: Irrespective of age and height at diagnosis, catch-up growth was complete in this group of patients, with satisfactory achievement of final height. Only one patient (age at diagnosis 13 years) failed to reach the target height.