Many children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) experience growth difficulties and weight problems as they progress. Italian researchers studied anthropometric data (height and weight) of 133 children with type I SMA and 82 with type II SMA, none receiving innovative therapies.
They compared them to the standard curves established by the WHO. It appears that children with ADS have:
- a weight slightly below the standard,
- a size slightly below the standards too, but in a more variable way,
- a lowered mean body mass index regardless of the age or type of SMA considered.
These data can be used both for monitoring patients and for therapeutic trials.