Metabolic changes resulting from type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM1) may put growth and development at risk. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the final stature of DM1 patients and the interference of DM1 in growth. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The final height reached by 58 DM1 patients was evaluated according to anthropometric data and metabolic control. RESULTS: Mean age was 26.4 years (15.0-51.0) and the duration of disease was of 9.6 years (1.4-25.0). Final stature was 165.1 cm (149.3-183.0) and the z-score for height was 0.09 (-1.76-2.85). In a subgroup (n = 34), it was possible to evaluate the effect of metabolic control on growth. Mean glycosylated hemoglobin was 12.2% (6.8-24.1) and the correlation between anthropometric data and glucose control was not considered statistically significant (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: We conclude that DM1 had no effect on the final stature, to the detriment of a poor metabolic control.
Diabetes mellitus; height; hemoglobin A, glycosylated; body mass index