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Journal of Pediatric Neurology 2011; 09(04): 435-439
DOI: 10.3233/JPN-2012-0519
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart – New York

Growth in children and adolescents with mitochondrial diseases

Manuel Castro-Gago
a   Neuropediatric Service, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
,
Carmen Gómez-Lado
a   Neuropediatric Service, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
,
Laura Pérez-Gay
a   Neuropediatric Service, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
,
Jesús Eirís-Puñal
a   Neuropediatric Service, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
,
MaríaInés Novo-Rodríguez
a   Neuropediatric Service, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
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Publication History

14 September 2010

02 February 2011

Publication Date:
30 July 2015 (online)

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Abstract

There is evidence that children with mitochondrial diseases tend to have short stature, but the growth of these patients has not been assessed in detail. We calculated the standard deviation (SD) of height, weight and body mass index (BMI) of 58 children and adolescents between the ages of 1.5 months and 18 years with a proven diagnosis of mitochondrial diseases. Overall, 31.03% of recorded heights, 29.31% of weights and 39.65% of BMIs were more than 2SD below the mean. In the group of children with encephalomyopathic forms of mitochondrial diseases, 34.09% of heights and weights, and 43.18% of BMIs were more than 2SD below the mean, while in the group with myopathic forms 21.42% of weights, 14.28% of heights and 28.57% of BMIs were more than 2SD below the mean. These results suggest that mitochondrial diseases are an important cause of short stature and of reduction in BMI in children and adolescents, particularly the encephalomyopathic forms.

Keywords

Body mass index - growth - height - mitochondrial diseases - weight