The short stature in patients with Perthes' disease.

The aim of this study was to explore the significance of short stature on the occurrence and prognosis of Perthes' disease. Of the patients admitted for treatment for Perthes' disease in childhood, 61 patients over 16 years of age at the time of this survey were slected. Of these 61 patients, 46 patients were measured the height at the onset and at this timem, and 45 patients were studied on prognosis from radiographs taken at this time. The height of the patients with Perthes' disease was lower than the average height of the same aged children without disease. And the condition of short stature at the onset was consistently recognized until the patients were over 16 years old. When the patients with Perthes' disease had short stature at the onset, the radiological results were good and this disease occurred at younger age. In conclusion, the degree of short stature may be related to the occurrence and prognosis of Perthes' disease.