Growth and development in a girl with pseudohypoparathyroidism and hypothyroidism. A longitudinal study.

Statural growth, physical and skeletal development of a girl with pseudohypoparathyroidism and primary hypothyroidism were analysed in a longitudinal study, which lasted for 12 years from the age of 0.8 years. Growth in height, which slowed down when thyroid therapy was withheld, was within the normal range. Still, as a result of early puberty, the girl became a small adult. Skeletal age was advanced over chronological years by an average of 2.7 years. This rapid skeletal development was more pronounced in the tubular bones than in the round bones of the hand. Two of the five metacarpals of the left hand grew more slowly than the others. This became clinically apparent at the age of 5.6 years. In all five metacarpals growth ceased at the same time, indicating that the abnormally short size of the two metacarpals did not result from early epiphyseal closure.