Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Growth charting, incorporating the use of recommended reference data, is a fundamental aspect of paediatric care. Electronic growth charting software can record and display anthropometric data and generate standard deviation scores (SDS) corrected for age and sex to inform clinical decision-making. We assessed the availability of electronic growth charts, reference data used, and functionality of software across the United Kingdom.

Methods: Paediatric endocrinologists and subspecialty trainees were invited via e-mail and the BSPED newsletter to (1) complete an online survey assessing growth chart availability and brand and functionality of available electronic growth chart packages and (2) disseminate the survey to secondary care paediatricians within their regional network. Where possible, commercial software developers were contacted to determine product specifications.

Results: One hundred responses were received between June and November 2024 from 82 different hospitals, including all 22 specialist paediatric endocrinology centres. 72% of hospitals had access to electronic growth charts. These were available in all paediatric endocrine centres, compared with 62% of secondary care hospitals (P <.001). For only 10% of users, historical measurements had been transferred onto electronic charts when these were introduced. Twenty-eight different software were in use: 16 locally developed and 12 commercially available products. Various growth reference data were reported to be used (UK-WHO 69%, British 1990 10%, WHO child growth standards 4%, unknown 15%). Respondents using the same software often reported using different reference data. Software functionality varied between and within software. For example, overall, 71% of respondents were able to generate SDS, but for one product only 93% of users reported having this function. Sixty-nine percent reported their software can generate a mid-parental height, but only 50% of users of one software stated this function was available. BMI and occipitofrontal circumference (OFC) chart were available to 85% and 90% of respondents, respectively, but the maximum age for OFC charts ranged from 42 weeks to 18 years.

Conclusions: Electronic growth charts are not universally available. Where available, reported reference data and software functionality was inconsistent between and within software. This variability could impact clinical decision-making and access to investigation, treatment and referral to appropriate services.