Effects of a gluten-free diet on catch-up growth and height prognosis in coeliac children with growth retardation recognized after the age of 5 years.

The effects of a gluten-free diet on catch-up growth and predicted height were evaluated in 12 children with coeliac disease diagnosed after the age of 5 years and followed for 2-5.5 years. In the majority of the patients, height and bone age were retarded at the time of diagnosis. Under a gluten-free diet growth velocity, age-related height, predicted height and relative bone age increased, height for bone age slightly decreased. In four patients the predicted height remained below the target height, indicating incomplete catch-up growth.