Adult Height Research Articles

Multiple loci account for human height

The combination of 281 GWAS studies for adult height leads to the identification of 12,111 SNP in 7,209 loci that together account for essentially all SNP heritability for this trait: there is no longer any significant "missing heritability", and these loci appear to be functionally relevant. This work is a model for future studies on the genetic determinants of complex diseases.

Improving the Accuracy of Adult Height Prediction With Exploiting Multiple Machine Learning Models According to the Distribution of Parental Height

Improving the Accuracy of Adult Height Prediction With Exploiting Multiple Machine Learning Models According to the Distribution of Parental Height

Bone Age Estimation and Prediction of Final Adult Height Using Deep Learning.

The appropriate evaluation of height and accurate estimation of bone age are crucial for proper assessment of the growth status of a child. We developed a bone age estimation program using a deep learning algorithm and established a model to predict the final adult height of Korean children. A total of 1678 radiographs from 866 children, for which the interpretation results were consistent between two pediatric endocrinologists, were used to train and validate the deep learning model. The bone age estimation algorithm was based on the convolutional neural network of the deep learning system. The test set simulation was performed by a deep learning program and two raters using 150 radiographs and final height data for 100 adults. There was a statistically significant correlation between bone age interpreted by the artificial intelligence (AI) program and the reference bone age in the test set simulation (r=0.99, p<0.001). In the test set simulation, the AI program showed a mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.59 years and a root mean squared error (RMSE) of 0.55 years, compared with reference bone age, and showed similar accuracy to that of an experienced pediatric endocrinologist (rater 1). Prediction of final adult height by the AI program showed an MAE of 4.62 cm, compared with the actual final adult height. We developed a bone age estimation program based on a deep learning algorithm. The AI-derived program demonstrated high accuracy in estimating bone age and predicting the final adult height of Korean children and adolescents.

Growth hormone therapy in a girl with Turner syndrome – An experience from Bangladesh

Turner syndrome (TS) is the most common sex chromosome abnormality in females. Short stature and hypogonadism are principal signs of TS. Turner syndrome is well-established. There have been studies that have evaluated the benefits of growth hormone in TS with significant benefit in adult height. A 9-year 11 months-old girl who presented to the Paediatric Endocrinologist, with complaint of not growing according to her age. Her growth was noticed to be slow from early age but her parents initially thought it was normal. They however became worried when she was not growing yet to start pubertal development. Her parents eventually took her to this referral hospital for further evaluation and management.

Combined assisted bone age assessment and adult height prediction methods in Chinese girls with early puberty: analysis of three artificial intelligence systems

BackgroundThe applicability and accuracy of artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted bone age assessment and adult height prediction methods in girls with early puberty are unknown.ObjectiveTo analyze the performance of AI-assisted bone age assessment methods by comparing the corresponding methods for predicted adult height with actual adult height.Materials and methodsThis retrospective review included 726 girls with early puberty, 87 of whom had reached adult height at last follow-up. Bone age was evaluated using the Greulich–Pyle (GP), Tanner–Whitehouse (TW3–RUS) and China 05 RUS–CHN (RUS-CHN) methods. Predicted adult height was calculated using the China 05 (CH05), TW3 and Bayley–Pinneau (BP) methods.ResultsWe analyzed 1,663 left-hand radiographs, including 155 from girls who had reached adult height. In the 6–8- and 9–11-years age groups, bone age differences were smaller than those in the 12–14-years group; however, the differences between predicted adult height and actual adult height were larger than those in the 12–14-years group. TW3 overestimated adult height by 0.4±2.8 cm, while CH05 and BP significantly underestimated adult height by 2.9±3.6 cm and 1.3±3.8 cm, respectively. TW3 yielded the highest proportion of predicted adult height within ±5 cm of actual adult height (92.9%), with the highest correlation between predicted and actual adult heights.ConclusionThe differences in measured bone ages increased with increasing bone age. However, the corresponding method for predicting adult height was more accurate when the bone age was older. TW3 might be more suitable than CH05 and BP for predicting adult height in girls with early puberty. Methods for predicting adult height should be optimized for populations of the same ethnicity and disease.

Voluntary Selection; Bringing Evolution at the Service of Humanity

Human populations can be characterized by their corresponding phenotypic profiles which do not necessarily align. These differences are not our points of strength in building harmonious societies and establishing a sustainable world order; it is therefore desirable to seek a pathway to resolve them. This article reflects on genetics as the most profound source of our differences and introduces Voluntary Selection as a means of acquiring genetic qualities and resolving the imbalance in their possession by different populations. Voluntary Selection is a healthcare program allowing for voluntarily involving the reproductive cells of another individual than the parents to conceive a child at the discretion of a parent population. Genetic qualities in this context are desired phenotypes as perceived by each population. The article then presents a computational approach through which thoughtful decisions about the design of a program can be made. These methods are applied to a pedigree data set of adult heights and the results are used to demonstrate the influence of the program design and the significance of its outcomes.

Association of Height and Prevalence of Kidney Stones.

Introduction and objectives Nephrolithiasis is universally understood to be a multifactorial disease resulting from genetic and environmental factors including gender, diet, calcium, and uric acid excretion. Notably, several of these factors may be related to body habitus. Because men are more likely to develop kidney stones and on average have a larger body size, height may be an important risk factor for stone formation. Several studies have demonstrated that short adult stature is associated with numerous conditions such as hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and cardiovascular diseases. However, other studies have demonstrated otherwise. Additionally, stones have been shown to be correlated with a high body mass index (BMI). This is likely due to dietary factors. Although height is a component of BMI, there is minimal literature regarding the relationship of height to stone prevalence adjusting for weight. Methods We aimed to examine whether short adult height is associated with the development of kidney stones using a population-based cohort of the National Center for Health Statistics. Data was gathered from National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) "Kidney Conditions - Urology" and "Weight History" questionnaire datasets from March 2017 to March 2020 along with demographic data. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine an association between current self-reported height (inches) and if the participant has ever had kidney stones, controlling for weight, gender, age, race, educational level, and marital status. Results We found that those who were shorter had higher odds of reporting a history of stones (OR: 1.017; 95%CI: 1.005-1.028). This association was found after controlling for covariates such as age, gender, race, education, and weight. In addition, the male gender and Hispanic race had higher odds of reporting a history of stones (OR: 1.43 and 1.073, respectively). Conclusion Our results suggest that short height is related to the prevalence of kidney stones independent of weight, age, gender, and race. This supports previous literature indicating height to be a component of renal disease.

Investigation of vertical distribution of ambient air particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) concentration at the respiratory heights of children and adults

&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; Introduction: Air pollution is one of the most important environmental risks to human health. The particulate matter tend to be carcinogenic for humans and can pose a greater hazard to children due to their immaturity and lack of development of the immune system. The current study is aimed to investigate the difference in the concentration of Particulate Matter (PM2.5 and PM10) in the ambient air in the breathing height of children and adults.&#x0D; Materials and methods: Particulate matter were measured cross-sectionally in sidewalks, streets, alleys, squares, and parks of Tehran simultaneously at two heights of 160 cm and 70 cm from the ground. As well as, other variables such as vegetation, buildings and meteorological data were also measured in each location.&#x0D; Results: There was a difference between the concentration of PM2.5 at the breathing height of children, with the average concentration of 52.0 μg/ m3, and the concentration of PM2.5 at the breathing height of adults with the average concentration of 51.6 μg/m3, with p-value of 0.013. Even though the difference is significant, it does not seem to have a significant impact on health. No significant difference was observed between the PM10 concentration at the breathing height of children and adults; however, there was significant difference between the concentrations of PM2.5 with the clean air standard of Iran and data from monitoring stations.&#x0D; Conclusion: The amount of PM2.5 and PM10 is almost the same in children and adults based on the difference in breathing height.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue and recombinant human growth hormone treatment for idiopathic central precocious puberty in girls.

To investigate the effectiveness and safety of gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue (GnRHa) in combination with recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) in girls with central precocious puberty (CPP). Clinical data of 80 girls diagnosed with idiopathic central precocious puberty (ICPP) between January 2017 and June 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Treatment strategy involved GnRHa alone (group A: n=34) and GnRHa+rhGH (group B: n=46). Children's heights (Ht), weights (Wt) and sex hormone levels were measured every 3 months after treatment and bone age (BA) every six months. Heights, growth velocity (GV), predicted adult height (PAH), weights, body mass index (BMI), sex hormone levels and bone age were compared between the two groups. Children in group B showed greater height gain at the 12th, 24th and 30th months after treatment (p<0.05) than those in group A, had faster growth rates in the first and second year following treatment (p<0.05) and better PAH (p<0.05). No statistical differences in weight or BMI were found between the two groups before treatment or at any time after treatment (p>0.05). Levels of LH and FSH were lower in both groups after treatment with no statistical differences between groups (p>0.05). The gap between bone age and chronological age gradually decreased in both groups and no abnormal progression of bone age or other adverse side effects occurred. The combination of GnRHa with rhGH produced better height gains than GnRHa alone for patients with CPP. The gonadal axis was suppressed and progression of bone age delayed with good safety and efficacy.

Three-dimensional quantitative analysis of dental and skeletal characteristics of skeletal Class I unilateral posterior crossbite in adults.

To study the dentoskeletal characteristics and the degree of compensations in skeletal Class I adults with unilateral posterior crossbite (UPCB). A sample of 40 adults was chosen for this cross-sectional study. 20 skeletal Class I adults with UPCB (mean age: 22.20±2.88years), were compared to 20 skeletal Class I adults with normal occlusion (mean age: 27.56 ± 5.76years). The respective dentoskeletal measurements were made on cross-sectional images from cone-beam computed tomography scans. Skeletally, both groups showed significant differences (P < 0.05) in mandibular corpus length and menton deviation with the UPCB group showing the greatest displacement. Maxillomandibular vertical asymmetry and condylar positional asymmetry were not significant in both groups (P > 0.05). For dental variables on the second premolar and first molar, the UPCB group showed greater linear and angular differences when compared to the control group (P < 0.05). On the crossbite side, maxillary posterior teeth were more buccally inclined, and mandibular posterior teeth were more lingually inclined. However, on the non-crossbite side, both maxillary and mandibular posterior teeth were lingually inclined. Adults with UPCB showed distinct transverse dentoskeletal asymmetry. No asymmetry was found in the condylar position and the mandibular height in UPCB adults.

Correlation between C0–C2 height, occipital-C2 angle and clivus-axial angle: CT-based anatomical study

BackgroundThe anatomical data of the skull base region can guide the process of occipitocervical fusion. This study aim to explore the normal range of C0–C2 height and occipital-C2 angle (OC2A) in healthy adults and the relationship between them and clivus-axial angle (CAA), to provide a reference for clinical application. Materials and methodsThe original computed tomography (CT) data of the cervical spine of 180 healthy adults in our hospital were selected retrospectively. According to gender, they were divided into male (n = 90) and female groups (n = 90) and then into six groups according to different age groups. The C0–C2 height, OC2A, and CAA were measured, respectively. The differences in the measured values between genders and different age groups were compared, and the correlation between C0–C2 height, OC2A, and CAA was analyzed. ResultsIn males and females, the average C0–C2 height is (4.28 ± 0.32) cm and (4.02 ± 0.27) cm, respectively. There was a significant difference in C0–C2 height in gender (P < 0.05). The average CAA of males is (156.53 ± 6.09)°, and that of females is (156.09 ± 5.71)°. There was no significant difference in the measured values of OC2A and CAA between genders and ages (P > 0.05). Correlation analysis shows a low correlation between C0–C2 height and CAA. However, there is a significant linear correlation between OC2A and CAA. ConclusionCT can effectively measure the C0–C2 height, OC2A, and CAA. There is a significant linear correlation between OC2A and CAA. It has theoretical guidance and reference value for the comprehensive selection of OC2A in occipitocervical fusion.

Longitudinal Relationship Between Anemia and Statural Growth Impairment in Children and Adolescents With Nonglomerular CKD: Findings From the Chronic Kidney Disease in Children (CKiD) Study

Anemia and statural growth impairment are both prevalent in children with nonglomerular chronic kidney disease (CKD) and are associated with poor quality of life and increased morbidity and mortality. However, to date no longitudinal studies have demonstrated a relationship between anemia and statural growth in this population. The CKD in Children (CKiD) study is a multicenter prospective cohort study with over 15 years of follow-up observation. CKiD participants younger than 22 years with nonglomerular CKD who had not reached final adult height. Age-, sex-, and race-specific hemoglobin z score. Age- and sex-specific height z score. The relationship between hemoglobin and height was quantified using (1) multivariable repeated measures paired person-visit analysis, and (2) multivariable repeated measures linear mixed model analysis. Both models were adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, estimated glomerular filtration rate, acidosis, and medication use. Overall, 67% of the 510 participants studied had declining hemoglobin z score trajectories over the follow-up period, which included 1,763 person-visits. Compared with average hemoglobin z scores of≥0, average hemoglobin z scores of less than -1.0 were independently associated with significant growth impairment at the subsequent study visit, with height z score decline ranging from 0.24 to 0.35. Importantly, in 50% of cases hemoglobin z scores ofless than -1.0 corresponded to hemoglobin values higher than those used as cutoffs defining anemia in the KDIGO clinical practice guideline for anemia in CKD. When stratified by age, the magnitude of the association peaked in participants aged 9 years. In line with paired-visit analyses, our mixed model analysis demonstrated that in participants with baseline hemoglobin z scoreless than -1.0, a hemoglobin z score decline over the follow-up period was associated with a statistically significant concurrent decrease in height z score. Limited ability to infer causality. Hemoglobin decline is associated with growth impairment over time in children with mild to moderate nonglomerular CKD, even before hemoglobin levels reach the cutoffs that are currently used to define anemia in this population.

Using change in predicted adult height during GnRH agonist treatment for individualized treatment decisions in girls with central precocious puberty.

It is important to understand what variables influence change in predicted adult height (PAH) throughout GnRHa treatment for central precocious puberty (CPP) to individualize treatment decisions and optimize care. Changes in PAH, chronological age (CA), bone age (BA), BA/CA, and height velocity (HV) were evaluated in girls with CPP throughout treatment with leuprolide acetate (n=77). A second analysis focused on changes in the 3years preceding the first observed BA of≥12years. Relationships were characterized using plot inspection andlinear mixed-effects analyses. Association between treatment duration and last assessed PAH was examined using multiple linear regression models. BA/CA and HV showed a nonlinear change during treatment, with the largest changes and improvement in PAH observed in the first 6-18months. Rate of BA advancement tended to decrease more slowly in girls initiating treatment at a younger BA. On-treatment change in PAH was predicted by concurrent BA/CA change, HV, and BA, as well as CA at treatment initiation. Last assessed PAH was positively associated with longer treatment durations (primary/exploratory models cut-offs of≥33/≥55months). These findings support individualized monitoring during GnRHa treatment. Initial response should be interpreted with caution until 6-18months after treatment initiation and failure should not be assumed based on continued bone maturation in girls starting therapy at a younger age. Treatment cessation should not be automatically based on a diminishing change in PAH or HV, as ongoing treatment may result in continued increase or maintenance of PAH.

Final adult height in children with central precocious puberty - a retrospective study.

Central precocious puberty (CPP) is due to premature activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. It predominantly affects girls. CPP leads to lower final height (FH), yet the treatment benefit in girls between 6 and 8 years is equivocal. Our main goal was to evaluate the effects of gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog (GnRHa) on FH and identify factors that predict FH. In a retrospective study, children with CPP (12 boys, 81 girls) that reached FH were included. Their clinical data at diagnosis and up to their final height was compared by descriptive statistics among idiopathic (iCPP) (n=68) and non-idiopathic CPP (nCPP) and between GnRHa treated (n=48) and untreated (n=15) girls with iCPP. The treatment effect of body weight (BW) adjusted GnRHa dosing was evaluated. Univariate linear regression and step-wise multivariable regression including 48 girls with iCPP treated with GnRHa were performed to identify predicting factors for FH. Children with idiopathic CPP (iCPP) reached higher FH (p=0.002) than children with non-idiopathic CPP. After the diagnosis, the treated group gained 7.0cm more than the untreated group. Yet, attributable to individualized decision-making, the FH in both groups was comparable (161.5cm in treated, 161.0cm in untreated girls with iCPP), although the onset of menarche was 2.5 years earlier among untreated girls. BW-adjusted dosing suppressed peak luteinizing hormone (LH) below 4.5 IU/L in 95% of children; however, bone age further advanced during therapy in 38% of patients. Predicting factors revealed by multivariable regression were bone age at diagnosis, BMI SDS at diagnosis, LH basal, age at start and cessation of treatment, predicted adult height and target height. (R2 = 0.72). Children with nCPP had worse FH outcome compared to iCPP despite similar CPP onset and therapeutic characteristics. Treatment by GnRHa using BW-adjusted dosing was effective in delaying menarche onset and reaching target height in girls with iCPP. Multiple factors affecting FH outcome indicated individualized decision-making regarding therapeutic intervention remains challenging. In the treated patients, among the factors that can be influenced, height at treatment cessation most significantly influenced the outcome.

Benefits from the first year of GnRHa therapy in boys with idiopathic central precocious puberty when initiating treatment after age 9 years: findings from a real-world retrospective study

BackgroundGnRHa treatment was established for improving final adult height (FAH) in children presenting with Idiopathic central precocious puberty (ICPP) up to age 8, while several controversies remained for older age groups. The primary objective was to evaluate whether boys diagnosed with ICPP over 9 years of chronological age (CA) could achieve a height benefit from GnRHa treatment.MethodsWe retrospectively evaluated the medical records of 23 boys treated for idiopathic central precocious puberty between January 2018 and January 2021 at Jiangsu Children’s Medical Center. All patients started treatment with intramuscular depot GnRHa at a dose of 80–100 μg/kg, followed by continuous intramuscular injection every 28 days at a dose of 60–80 μg/kg. The hormonal parameters, bone age/chronological age ratio, FAH, growth velocity (GV), tanner staging and body mass index (BMI) were assessed during the treatment period.ResultsAfter one course of treatment (3 months), the basal FSH and testosterone levels were reduced, while the basal LH value was not significantly changed compared with those before treatment. Furthermore, the mean BA/CA ratio reduction was statistically significant at month 12. The mean PAH following administration of GnRHa after 12 months was statistically improved compared with those at baseline. In addition, the clinical sign of puberty and GV were significantly improved and the BMI remained unchanged as desired at month 12.ConclusionsThis analysis highlighted the positive outcome on the decrease in the rate of bone maturation, with a favorable effect on progression of clinical signs of puberty. Furthermore, our study confirmed PAH was improved even in the older children at onset of treatment (ages 9–10), emphasizing the importance of personalized treatment in such population.

Do taller people live longer? Evaluating the relationship between adult stature and longevity

Abstract Body height is positively correlated with overall health and survival. Previous studies have found that taller people are healthier and live longer than their smaller counterparts. Despite numerous investigations, the correlation between adult stature and longevity remains uncertain. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the relationship between adult height and lifespan. Data were available from 480493 men and 364666 women who died in the years 2004-2008 in Poland. Pearson’s r coefficients of correlation were calculated and ANOVA was employed. The correlation between height and longevity was negative and statistically significant in men (r = –0.27, p &lt; 0.0001) and women (r = –0.25, p &lt; 0.0001). However, after allowing for the cohort effect, these correlations proved to be very weak and significant. On balance, these results do not corroborate the hypothesis that taller people live longer, and the effects of body height on survival were small. In this article, these findings are discussed in an attempt to identify the biological mechanisms that are responsible for greater longevity in short people. This paper also deals with several biological factors and mechanisms involved in the link between body size and longevity.

How has body weight changed since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic?

Measures for containing the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 resulted in drastic changes in physical activity and dietary habits that also impacted body weight. The representative study German Health Update (GEDA 2021) includes self-reported information about body weight and body height for adults aged 18 years and older (n=2,985) from July to October 2021. In addition, the study asked about changes in body weight since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. For 59% of participants, body weight has not changed since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, 26% report weight gain, and 15% report weight loss. Younger people indicate weight gain more often than older people, and individuals with obesity report weight gain more often than individuals without obesity. 1.5 years after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the average weight change within the population is approximately +0.34kg. The effects of restrictions in everyday life with regard to the possible negative impacts on body weight should be given greater consideration and should be monitored in the future.

Micro-characteristics of a naturally ventilated classroom air quality under varying air purifier placements

A naturally-ventilated operational classroom was instrumented at 18 locations to assess spatial variations of classroom air pollution (CRAP), thermal comfort and ventilation indicators under 10 different scenarios (base scenario without air purifier (AP); three single AP scenarios; three scenarios with two APs at same locations; three scenarios with two APs at different locations). Unlike PM2.5, monitored PM10 and CO2 concentrations followed the diurnal occupancy profile. Highest vertical variation (38%) in CO2 was at the classroom entry zone at 40–300 cm height. CO2 increased until 225 cm before stratifying further. PM10 increased to highest levels at children sitting height (100 cm) before decreasing to adult breathing height (150 cm). Highest horizontal variations in CO2 (PM10) were 29% (22%) at 40 cm height between the entry and occupied zones. Teachers' exposure to CO2 (PM10) in breathing zone varied by up to 6% (3%); the corresponding variations across monitored locations were up to 14% (19%). Teachers' exposure to CO2 was up to 13% higher than that of children and 18% lower for PM10. Traffic emissions (PM2.5 and NOx), secondary pollutants (VOCs and O3), thermal comfort parameters and noise level in the classroom varied insignificantly among scenarios. PM10 reduction was not doubled by using two air purifiers, which were most effective when placed within the highest PM concentration zone. Cross-comparisons of scenarios showed: use of AP reduced classroom's spatial average PM10 up to 14%; PM10 was reduced by increasing the AP's filtration capacity; and AP had insignificant impact on spatial average CO2. PM10 showed a maximum reduction of 46% (teacher zone), 62% (occupied zone) and 50% (entry zone) at children's breathing height, depending on usage scenario. This study produced high-resolution data for validating the detailed numerical models for classrooms and informing decision-making on AP's placement to minimise children's exposure to CRAP and re-breathed CO2.

Long-term catch-up growth and risk factors for short adult height after pediatric liver transplantation

Kentaro Umemura, Atsuyoshi Mita, Yasunari Ohno, Yuichi Masuda, Kazuki Yoshizawa, Koji Kubota, Tsuyoshi Notake, Akira Shimizu, Yuji Soejima. Korean J Transplant 2022;36:108. https://doi.org/10.4285/ATW2022.F-2278

Adult Height, 22q11.2 Deletion Extent, and Short Stature in 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome.

The 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) manifests as a wide range of medical conditions across a number of systems. Pediatric growth deficiency with some catch-up growth is reported, but there are few studies of final adult height. We aimed to investigate how final adult height in 22q11.2DS compared with general population norms, and to examine predictors of short stature in in a cohort of 397 adults with 22q11.2DS (aged 17.6-76.3 years) with confirmed typical 22q11.2 microdeletion (overlapping the LCR22A to LCR22B region). We defined short stature as <3rd percentile using population norms. For the subset (n = 314, 79.1%) with 22q11.2 deletion extent, we used a binomial logistic regression model to predict short stature in 22q11.2DS, accounting for effects of sex, age, ancestry, major congenital heart disease (CHD), moderate-to-severe intellectual disability (ID), and 22q11.2 deletion extent. Adult height in 22q11.2DS showed a normal distribution but with a shift to the left, compared with population norms. Those with short stature represented 22.7% of the 22q11.2DS sample, 7.6-fold greater than population expectations (p < 0.0001). In the regression model, moderate-to-severe ID, major CHD, and the common LCR22A-LCR22D (A-D) deletion were significant independent risk factors for short stature while accounting for other factors (model p = 0.0004). The results suggest that the 22q11.2 microdeletion has a significant effect on final adult height distribution, and on short stature with effects appearing to arise from reduced gene dosage involving both the proximal and distal sub-regions of the A-D region. Future studies involving larger sample sizes with proximal nested 22q11.2 deletions, longitudinal lifetime data, parental heights, and genotype data will be valuable.