Growth monitoring for short stature: update of a systematic review and economic model

Abstract

An electronic version of this title, in Adobe Acrobat format, is available for downloading free of charge for personal use from the HTA website (www.hta.ac.uk). A fully searchable DVD is also available (see below).Printed copies of HTA journal series issues cost £20 each (post and packing free in the UK) to both public and private sector purchasers from our despatch agents.Non-UK purchasers will have to pay a small fee for post and packing. For European countries the cost is £2 per issue and for the rest of the world £3 per issue. How to order:-fax (with credit card details) -post (with credit card details or cheque) -phone during office hours (credit card only).Additionally the HTA website allows you to either print out your order or download a blank order form. Contact details are as follows:Synergie UK (HTA Department) Digital House, The Loddon Centre Wade Road Basingstoke Hants RG24 8QW Email: orders@hta.ac.uk Tel: 0845 812 4000 -ask for 'HTA Payment Services' (out-of-hours answer-phone service) Fax: 0845 812 4001 -put 'HTA Order' on the fax header Payment methods Paying by chequeIf you pay by cheque, the cheque must be in pounds sterling, made payable to University of Southampton and drawn on a bank with a UK address.Paying by credit card You can order using your credit card by phone, fax or post. SubscriptionsNHS libraries can subscribe free of charge. Public libraries can subscribe at a reduced cost of £100 for each volume (normally comprising 40-50 titles). The commercial subscription rate is £400 per volume (addresses within the UK) and £600 per volume (addresses outside the UK). Please see our website for details. Subscriptions can be purchased only for the current or forthcoming volume.How do I get a copy of HTA on DVD?Please use the form on the HTA website (www.hta.ac.uk/htacd/index.shtml). HTA on DVD is currently free of charge worldwide.The website also provides information about the HTA programme and lists the membership of the various committees. ii ii HTA NIHR Health Technology Assessment programmeThe Health Technology Assessment (HTA) programme, part of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), was set up in 1993. It produces high-quality research information on the effectiveness, costs and broader impact of health technologies for those who use, manage and provide care in the NHS. 'Health technologies' are broadly defined as all interventions used to promote health, prevent and treat disease, and improve rehabilitation and long-term care. The research findings from the HTA programme directly influence decision-making bodies such as the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the National Screening Committee (NSC). HTA findings also help to improve the quality of clinical practice in the NHS indirectly in that they form a key component of the 'National Knowledge Service' . The HTA programme is needs led in that it fills gaps in the evidence needed by the NHS. There are three routes to the start of projects. First is the commissioned route. Suggestions for resea...

Elevated Head Circumference-to-Height Ratio Is an Early and Frequent Feature in Children with Neurofibromatosis Type 1

“…Auxological measures including head circumference are extensively available for the majority of children in developed countries [1,2]. However, the use of head circumference alone or in combination with height as a diagnostic tool has been scarce.…”

“…The assessment of growth in children is a well-established and cost-effective part of the preventive health care services provided in the majority of developed countries [1,2], yet its usefulness is still unknown when it comes to the assessment of head circumference.…”

Early Detection, Referral, Investigation, and Diagnosis of Children with Growth Disorders

“…The practice of population height measurement to identify short stature varies widely across countries and cultures [2,26]. Organised growth monitoring is not universally available across the developed world.…”

“…Individual studies have measured populations of healthy pre-school or school children and reported a prevalence of positive pathology in children referred with short stature to be approximately 5% [29,30,31]. However, the performance of most programmes and particularly their economic consequences have not been critically appraised [2,26]. …”

“…Early initiation of appropriate therapy for short stature also offers the best opportunities for short- and long-term growth responses [1]. Height measurement in paediatric populations, generally referred to as ‘growth monitoring' [2], as a screening test for growth disorders can theoretically identify treatable conditions in apparently healthy short children. Growth monitoring can lead to the detection of primary causes of short stature, such as skeletal dysplasias and dysmorphic syndromes, or secondary growth failure due to endocrine disorders, such as in growth hormone (GH) deficiency or chronic conditions, such as coeliac disease, Crohn's disease, malnutrition or renal disease [3,4,5], before clinical symptoms lead to referral.…”