Standardized growth charts for children with osteogenesis imperfecta

Abstract

Background: Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is associated with short stature, which is mild, severe and moderate in OI types I, III and IV, respectively. Standardized OI type- and sex-specific growth charts across all pediatric ages do not exist.

Methods: We assessed 573 individuals with OI (type I, III or IV), each with at least one height measurement between ages 3 months and 20 years (total 6523 observations). Analogous to the Centers for Disease Control pediatric growth charts, we generated OI type- and sex-specific growth charts for infants (ages 3-36 months) as well as children and adolescents (ages 2-20 years). Growth curves were fitted to the data using the LMS method and percentiles were smoothed.

Results: Age was associated with a decline in height z-scores (p < 0.001 for all OI types), which was more pronounced in females. Height multiplier curves were produced to predict adult height in children with OI. Among individuals with OI type I, those with COL1A1 pathogenic variants leading to haploinsufficiency were taller than those with COL1A1 or COL1A2 pathogenic variants not leading to haploinsufficiency.

Conclusion: Our standardized OI type- and sex-specific growth charts can be used to assess the growth of individuals with OI from infancy to adulthood.

Impact: Standardized osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) type- and sex-specific growth charts across all pediatric ages do not exist. Our study is the first to generate OI type- and sex-specific growth charts across all pediatric ages. Our height multiplier curves can be utilized to predict adult height in children with OI.