Abstract
Introduction: We hypothesized that sexual dimorphism in stature is due to growth duration differences and not in growth rate differences between boys and girls.
Methods: 200 healthy participants (99 boys and 101 girls) were prospectively followed from 6 to 18 years old. Height, velocity, and acceleration curves were plotted. Pre, peri, and pospuberal age and height were determined. To adjust the age, the age at growth spurt was considered as 0 and a maturation scale of ± 7 years was established. Comparisons were made by t-test and ANOVA test.
Results: The mean age at growth spurt was 13.9 ± 1.3 (boys) and 11.9 ± 1.3 years (girls) (p < 0.01). The prepubertal height was 134.5 ± 7.5 vs 133.3 ± 6.8 (p = 0.23), the peripuberal height was 157.7 ± 10.0 vs 156.6 ± 8.3 (p = 0.49) and the pospuberal period of 174.2 ± 9.0 vs 163.6 ± 8.2 cm (p < 0.01), in boys and girls respectively. Prepubertal velocity was 6.3 ± 1.8 vs 6.3 ± 1.2 (p = 1.00), peripuberal velocity was 6.9 ± 1.6 vs 6.6 ± 1.0 (p = 0.11) and postpubertal of 4.8 ± 1.9 vs 4.9 ± 1.7 cm/year (p = 0.69), in boys and girls respectively. The area under the velocity curve was 59.1 ± 0.5 vs 59.0 ± 0.6 cm (p = 0.20) and the area under the acceleration curve was -6.5 ± 0.4 vs -6.5 ± 0.6 cm (p = 1.00), in boys and girls respectively.
Conclusion: Stature sexual dimorphism results of later onset of puberty in males and not of faster growth rate.
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