Background/aims: Short stature is a common reason for presentation to pediatric endocrinology clinics. However, for most patients, no cause for the short stature can be identified. As genetics plays a strong role in height, we sought to identify known and novel genetic causes of short stature.

Methods: We recruited 14 children with severe short stature of unknown etiology. We conducted whole exome sequencing of the patients and their family members. We used an analysis pipeline to identify rare non-synonymous genetic variants that cause the short stature.

Results: We identified a genetic cause of short stature in 5 of the 14 patients. This included cases of floating-harbor syndrome, Kenny-Caffey syndrome, the progeroid form of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, as well as 2 cases of the 3-M syndrome. For the remaining patients, we have generated lists of candidate variants.

Conclusions: Whole exome sequencing can help identify genetic causes of short stature in the context of defined genetic syndromes, but may be less effective in identifying novel genetic causes of short stature in individual families. Utilized in the clinic, whole exome sequencing can provide clinically relevant diagnoses for these patients. Rare syndromic causes of short stature may be underrecognized and underdiagnosed in pediatric endocrinology clinics.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4130218PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000360857DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

short stature
32
genetic short
20
exome sequencing
16
short
10
identify genetic
8
stature
8
pediatric endocrinology
8
endocrinology clinics
8
novel genetic
8
genetic
7

Similar Publications

Take a Deep BReath: Manipulating brassinosteroid homeostasis helps cereals adapt to environmental stress.

Plant Physiol

January 2025

Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.

Global climate change leads to the increased occurrence of environmental stress (including drought and heat stress) during the vegetative and reproductive stages of cereal crop development. Thus, more attention should be given to developing new cereal cultivars with improved tolerance to environmental stress. However, during the development of new stress-tolerant cereal cultivars, the balance between improved stress responses (which occur at the expense of growth) and plant yield needs to be maintained.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Human Growth Hormone (GH) use by Athletes with Short Stature without GH Deficiency: Therapeutic Use Exemptions.

J Clin Endocrinol Metab

January 2025

Division of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA.

Organized sports are governed by specific rules which aim to create or preserve fair play. An unfair advantage can be obtained by the use of specific substances or methods, also referred to as doping. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) leads the international doping-free sport movement and annually publishes the List of Prohibited Substances and Methods (List), that is used by most sport federations and organizations around the world.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Achondroplasia is the most common genetic form of short-limbed skeletal dysplasia (dwarfism). Clinical manifestations and complications can affect individuals across the lifespan, including the need for adaptations for activities of daily living, which can affect quality of life. Current international guidelines focus on symptomatic management, with little discussion regarding potential medication, as therapeutic options were limited at the time of their publication.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Male EBP disorder with neurologic defects (MEND syndrome) is an extremely rare disorder with a prevalence of less than 1/1,000,000 individuals worldwide. It is inherited as an X-linked recessive disorder caused by impaired sterol biosynthesis due to nonmosaic hypomorphic EBP variants. MEND syndrome is characterized by variable clinical manifestations including intellectual disability, short stature, scoliosis, digital abnormalities, cataracts, and dermatologic abnormalities.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Monogenic causes of familial short stature.

Front Endocrinol (Lausanne)

January 2025

Department of Pediatrics, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and Motol University Hospital, Prague, Czechia.

Genetic factors play a crucial role in determining human height. Short stature commonly affects multiple family members and therefore, familial short stature (FSS) represents a significant proportion of growth disorders. Traditionally, FSS was considered a benign polygenic condition representing a subcategory of idiopathic short stature (ISS).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!