Bauduer Frederic
Hist Sci Med. 2016 Jul;50(3):237-246.
Throughout human history, disease-related short stature has represented a source of fascination. Following the recent advances in genetics and molecular biology, several hundreds of possible causes are now to be considered. We present herein a few examples of the diagnosis approach of such cases from art sources (sculptures, paintings or photographs for the most recent periods), associated or not with biographical data, allowing semiological and anthropological analyses. The explored period spans from antic great civilizations to 19th Century Western societies. The palaeopathological diagnosis method is based upon medical approach. It includes a search for possible associated abnormalities and the distinction between proportioned, mainly related to hormonal disorders (particularly growth hormone deficiency), and non-proportioned cases especially associated with genetic skeletal dysplasias. Among this latter category, achondroplasia is the most represented cause of short stature. Other more exceptional etiologies are also reported.
在人类历史上，与疾病相关的身材矮小一直是一个令人着迷的话题。随着遗传学和分子生物学的最新进展，现在需要考虑数百种可能的病因。在此，我们展示一些来自艺术资料（最近时期的雕塑、绘画或照片）的此类病例诊断方法的例子，这些资料与传记数据相关或不相关，以便进行符号学和人类学分析。所探讨的时期从古代伟大文明跨越到19世纪的西方社会。古病理学诊断方法基于医学方法。它包括寻找可能相关的异常情况，以及区分比例性矮小（主要与激素紊乱，特别是生长激素缺乏有关）和非比例性矮小（特别是与遗传性骨骼发育不良有关）。在后一类中，软骨发育不全是身材矮小最常见的原因。还报告了其他一些较为罕见的病因。
