Deceleration in maturation of bone during adolescent age in achondroplasia—a retrospective study using RUS scoring system.

Abstract Objectives  Knowledge of bone age in achondroplasia is required for the prediction of adult height, timings of limb lengthening, and epiphysiodesis procedures. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the differences in skeletal age in achondroplasia and a control population with the Tanner–Whitehouse 3 method using the RUS score and to determine the right age for the interventional procedure for limb lengthening procedure or deformity correction in these patients. Materials and methods  Left hand radiographs of 34 patients (age range, 5–18 years) with achondroplasia were evaluated for skeletal age using the RUS scoring system, which were compared with the left hand radiographs of 41 patients (age range, 5–18 years) without achondroplasia measuring skeletal age. The difference in chronological age and RUS bone age were evaluated statistically according to gender and age group. Results  In the achondroplasia group, chronological age were 10.5 ± 4.3 years for males and 10.1 ± 3.6 years for females and RUS bone age were 9.2 ± 4.0 years for males and 8.9 ± 3.4 years for females, which showed statistically significantly difference (males p = 0.0003 and females p p = 0.54 and females p = 0.76). Our finding suggested a delay of 1.4 years for males and 1.2 years for females in the maturation of bone in achondroplasia patients. Difference between chronological age and RUS bone age was 0.9 ± 1.1 for 10 years in the study group, while 0.1 ± 1.1 for 10 years in the control group, which also showed >statistically significant difference (p = 0.04 and >10 years p 10 years in achondroplasia patients compared to nonachondroplasia patients. Conclusion  We recommend the use of the Tanner–Whitehouse 3 method especially the radius, ulna, short bone score to measure the skeletal age and to wait for a longer time before interventional procedures in achondroplasia patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]