HGH Injections For Sale

The comedy actress, broadcaster and writer who is appearing on ITV's Blankety Blank tonight [Saturday, November 27] was left destroyed when she found out that she had a brain tumour. After medical examinations, the star was told that doctors had found a tiny little rice-shaped tumour in her pituitary gland which was going to make a big difference on her life.

Considering the impact the diagnosis had on her, Sue remembers every detail about how, when and where she was told about her tumour.

She said that she was in a very clinical white sideroom whilst filming the Supersizers - a show that tracks the impact of eating unusual food.

She continued to say: In this small, very clinical white side room, this woman said your bloods are very awry and you have a brain tumour.

The Mayo Clinic explains that pituitary tumours are abnormal growths. There are two types of tumor - ones that produce hormones (secreting), and ones that do not (non-secreting).

DON'T MISS:

The pituitary gland is crucial in regulating important functions within the body, and abnormalities within hormones can cause multiple side effects.

Cancer.netexplains that some people do not experience any signs or symptoms of a tumour, but those who do often experience the following:

More seriously, individuals can experience either Cushings syndrome a combination of weight gain, high blood pressure, diabetes, and easy bruising that is caused by overproduction of the hormone ACTH or a condition known as acromegaly, which is the enlargement of the arms or legs, and thickening of the skull and jaw, caused by too much growth hormone.

For Sue, the worst thing that she has had to come to terms with is the possibility that she may never have children. With infertility being one of the symptoms, as well as hormone imbalance, the star soon discovered that giving birth may not be something she ever gets to experience.

Eye tests and blood tests are both ways in which tumours are detected. According to Cancer Research UK, around eight percent of brain tumours diagnosed between 2006 and 2010 were pituitary tumours.

Despite sounding severe, most pituitary tumors do not require treatment. Surgery is only carried out when the tumour is large in size, is growing rapidly, is pressing on the optic nerve, or is overproducing certain hormones.

Due to the tricky location of the tumour, the abnormal growth is either removed through the nose and sinuses, or through the upper part of the skull via an incision in the scalp.

After surgery, individuals may have to have a series of radiation therapy in order to stop the tumour from returning. Macmillan cancer support can be reached on 080 8808 0000 if you or someone you know needs support with a recent brain tumour diagnosis.

View original post here:

Sue Perkins health: 'I've been through a very dark time' - presenter on brain tumour - Daily Express

Alex Rodriguez (c.) outside of Major League Baseball's Park Avenue offices during his 2013 ... [+] arbitration hearing.

Alex Rodriguez appeared on ESPNs First Take program in January 2019, after three of his former baseball teammates Mike Mussina, Mariano Rivera and Edgar Martinez had just been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

During the interview, Rodriguez was grilled by host Max Kellerman about the performance-enhancing drug issue, which has, so far, kept players like Roger Clemens and home run king Barry Bonds from entry into Cooperstown, and which is an issue certain to cloud Rodriguezs own Hall of Fame chances, as he appears on the ballot for the first time this year.

Ive taken the approach that, I think, talking about it is best, Rodriguez said during the 2019 ESPN interview. I understand that I made my own bed. If I dont make it to the Hall of Fame, I can live with that. I would be bummed. It would suck. I cant believe that I put myself in this situation. But if that happens, I have no one to blame but myself.

Rodriguezs checkered baseball past will be at the forefront of the baseball writers minds when they consider A-Rods Hall of Fame candidacy. Rodriguez, 46, may have appeared contrite in that 2019 interview, but his past steroid mea culpas have been all over the spectrum, and his PED links make for a complicated layer to his baseball arc.

Unlike Clemens and Bonds, Rodriguez was suspended during his MLB-playing days, and his discipline came as a result of violating both the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program and the Basic Agreement. But even before he served that season-long ban in 2014, Rodriguez had already admitted to PED use during another stretch of his career.

Former Senator George Mitchells report on Major League Baseballs doping history had just been released publicly only days earlier when journalist Katie Couric interviewed Rodriguez for 60 Minutes in December 2007. Of the dozens of players named in the Mitchell Report with PED links including Clemens and Andy Pettitte Rodriguezs name was nowhere to be found.

For the record, have you ever used steroids, human growth hormone or any other performance-enhancing substance? Couric asked Rodriguez during the interview.

No, said Rodriguez, who was playing for the Yankees then.

Have you ever been tempted to use any of those things? Couric asked Rodriguez.

No... Ive never felt overmatched on the baseball field, said Rodriguez.

To say those remarks on camera did not age well would be an understatement. An explosive 2009 Sports Illustrated report detailed Rodriguezs positive drug test in 2003 baseballs survey testing year to determine if a drug-testing policy would be implemented for synthetic testosterone and the anabolic steroid Primobolan.

Rodriguez subsequently told ESPNs Peter Gammons, and then a media throng in Tampa during spring training that year, that he used a banned substance during the three seasons he played for the Texas Rangers, 2001-03, and that his cousin, Yuri Sucart, had personally injected him.

It was such a loosey-goosey era... To be quite honest, I dont know exactly what substance I was guilty of using, Rodriguez told Gammons.

But it would be crystal clear what banned substances Rodriguez was taking during another stretch of his career 2010 to 2012 when he was getting drugs from Anthony Bosch, the Biogenesis mastermind.

Although then baseball commissioner Bud Selig originally hit Rodriguez with an historic 211-game ban in August 2013, A-Rod famously fought the suspension through an arbitration hearing, and also filed a flurry of lawsuits in 2013 and early 2014. After he stormed out of his hearing on the second to last day in November 2013, Rodriguez went on WFAN radio personality Mike Francesas show and proclaimed he shouldnt serve one inning of a suspension.

Lets get that on the record. You say you did not do these PEDs that they are accusing you of doing? Francesa asked Rodriguez.

Youre correct, Mike, said Rodriguez, who also referred to Selig derisively as the man from Milwaukee during the interview.

Those PED denials proved hollow in January 2014, when Rodriguez filed a lawsuit in Manhattan federal court and named MLB, Selig and the Players Association (of which Rodriguez was a member) as defendants, as he continued his fight against the suspension.

Attached to that lawsuit, in an ironic twist, was independent arbitrator Fredric Horowitzs ruling on Rodriguez, where Horowitz reduced the 211-game ban to 162 games plus the 2014 postseason. More importantly, however, the arbitration ruling document contained all of the findings from the MLB investigation into Rodriguezs association with Bosch and the south Florida Biogenesis anti-aging clinic, as well as Rodriguezs specific doping violations and the extent of his PED use.

What was supposed to be a confidential document and information was now public for anyone to review. Rodriguez would eventually drop the lawsuit and accept his suspension, and in late January 2014, Rodriguez signed a partial immunity agreement with federal authorities who were investigating Biogenesis in a separate probe.

Based on the entire record from the arbitration, MLB has demonstrated with clear and convincing evidence there is just cause to suspend Rodriguez for the 2014 season and 2014 postseason for having violated the JDA (Joint Drug Agreement) by the use and/or possession of testosterone, IGF-1 (insulin growth factor) and hGH (human growth hormone) over the course of three years, and for the two attempts to obstruct MLBs investigation described above... reads the conclusion in the arbitration ruling. While this length of suspension may be unprecedented for a MLB player, so is the misconduct he committed.

Unprecedented misconduct is only one part of the Rodriguez baseball profile he has 696 career home runs and over 3,000 hits but it could be the part that writers find too important to push aside when they consider whether to check the box next to Rodriguezs name on the Hall of Fame ballot.

Continue reading here:

Alex Rodriguez Appears On Hall Of Fame Ballot For First Time, And His Candidacy Is Certain To Spark Debate - Forbes

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is a protein thats found on the surface of breast cells. Its normal function is to promote cellular growth and division.

Some breast cancers have higher-than-normal levels of HER2. These are called HER2-positive breast cancers. However, only a low percentage of breast cancers are HER2-positive.

Most breast cancers are HER2-negative. According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), an estimated 78 percent of breast cancers are HER2-negative and dont produce too much HER2.

Continue reading below as we explore what it means to have HER2-negative breast cancer. Well cover the different HER2-negative subtypes, as well as diagnosis, treatment, and outlook.

HER2-negative breast cancer has a couple of different subtypes. Lets take a look at these now.

In addition to having a HER2 status, breast cancer cells also have a hormone receptor (HR) status. Estrogen and progesterone hormone receptors can be found on breast cancer cells. Its worth noting that these receptors can also be found on healthy breast cells.

A breast cancer is HR-positive when it has receptors for estrogen, progesterone, or both. Estrogen receptor-positive cancers are more common and are estimated to occur in about 75 percent of all breast cancers.

In HR-positive cancers, estrogen or progesterone can bind to the hormone receptors on breast cancer cells, helping to promote their growth and spread. As such, treatments for HR-positive breast cancers often targets hormone receptors.

Overall, HER2-negative, HR-positive breast cancers are the most common subtype of breast cancer. The NCI estimates that between 2014 and 2018, 68 percent of breast cancers in the United States were this subtype.

Its also possible for a breast cancer to be negative for both HER2 and for hormone receptors. A breast cancer thats HER2-negative, HR-negative is called triple-negative breast cancer.

This subtype of breast cancer is less common. The NCI estimates that between the years of 2014 and 2018, only 10 percent of breast cancers were this subtype.

Because triple-negative breast cancer lacks both HER2 and hormone receptors, it doesnt respond to treatments that target these factors. Additionally, it tends to recur more often than other subtypes of breast cancer.

If youve been newly diagnosed with breast cancer, the HER2 status of your tumor will be determined. This is performed on a tissue sample collected from a biopsy or surgery.

HER2 status can be tested in two ways:

Generally speaking, testing HER2 status with FISH can take longer and be more expensive. Because of this, IHC is often used initially. The results of this test are reported as a number value from 0 to 3+:

If a FISH test is done, the results are reported as either positive or negative. A test that comes back FISH negative is considered to be HER2-negative.

The treatment of HER2-negative breast cancer can also depend on HR status. Lets examine some of the potential treatment options for each subtype of HER2-negative breast cancer.

HER2-negative breast cancer thats HR-positive can be treated with hormone therapy. This blocks the actions of hormones, stopping the cancer from growing.

Most of the drugs that are used in hormone therapy target estrogen. Some examples include:

Another way to block the action of estrogen is to reduce or shut down the ovaries activity. This is called ovarian suppression and can be accomplished by:

Some types of targeted therapy may also be used in HER2-negative, HR-positive breast cancer. Targeted therapy drugs bind to specific proteins on or in cancer cells. Some that may be used for this subtype of breast cancer are:

Other potential treatment options for HER2-negative, HR-positive breast cancers include:

Breast cancer thats triple-negative wont respond to some of the treatments used for HER2-negative, HR-positive breast cancer. This includes hormone therapy and many targeted therapies.

As with many breast cancers, the first potential treatment option for this subtype is surgery. This may or may not be followed by radiation therapy to help prevent the cancer from coming back.

If surgery isnt possible or doesnt remove all of the cancer, chemotherapy is the main systemic treatment option for triple-negative breast cancer. Chemotherapy may also be given along with the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab (Keytruda).

Targeted therapy with PARP inhibitors (olaparib, talazoparib) may be used in people with triple-negative breast cancer and BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations. This is typically given when cancer hasnt responded to chemotherapy.

Another targeted therapy drug called sacituzumab govitecan (Trodelvy) may be used to treat triple-negative breast cancer that has metastasized, or spread, to other parts of the body.

In addition to HER2 and HR status, there are also several other factors that can impact breast cancer treatment. These include:

Your doctor will take all of these different factors into account when determining what type of treatment to recommend for your individual situation.

HER2-positive breast cancer cells have high levels of HER2 on their surface. This is in contrast to HER2-negative breast cancers, in which cells have low or normal levels of HER2.

The HER2 protein promotes cellular growth. Because of this, HER2-positive breast cancers tend to grow and spread more quickly than other types of breast cancers.

Breast cancers that are HER2-positive also have additional treatment options available. These are targeted therapies that specifically target the HER2 protein on cancer cells.

Its also important to note that some research has found that breast cancers may switch HER2 and HR status over time. This is why its important to reassess these markers if a cancer recurs.

You may be wondering if having HER2-negative breast cancer is better than having HER2-positive breast cancer. Theres no straightforward answer to this question, as both types of breast cancer have their own upsides and downsides.

For example, HER2-positive breast cancer is likely to grow and spread more rapidly. However, it also has many available treatment options, particularly if its also HR-positive.

Meanwhile, HER2-negative breast cancer grows and spreads more slowly than HER2-positive breast cancer. However, it also has less potential treatment options, especially if its HR-negative (triple-negative).

Further, other additional factors besides HER2 and HR status play into breast cancer outlook. Some of these include individual factors like your age and overall health. Other factors that are used in staging are also important, such as:

Cancer survival statistics are typically reported using a 5-year survival rate. This is the percentage of individuals that are still living 5 years after their diagnosis.

Survival rates can vary based off of the subtype of breast cancer that you have. A publication from the American Cancer Society reports 5-year survival rates for HER2-negative breast cancers as:

Keep in mind that HER2 and HR status arent the only factors that can influence outlook. Other important factors at diagnosis include:

The outlook for HER2-negative breast cancer can depend on its HR status. HER2-negative breast cancers that are HR-positive typically have a better outlook than those that are triple-negative.

The stage of the cancer also plays an important role. For example, HER2-negative cancers that are localized to the breast have a better outlook than those that have spread to the lymph nodes or to more distant tissues.

Remember that statistics on outlook or survival are determined based off of the outcomes of a large amount of people with breast cancer over many years. They dont take into account individual factors or very recent advances in treatment.

Your doctor will help you to better understand what your HER2-negative status means for you on an individual level. Dont hesitate to voice any questions or concerns that you may have regarding your diagnosis or treatment options.

Read more:

HER2-Negative Breast Cancer: Types, Treatments, Outlook - Healthline

After IT (2017) steamrolled box office records on its way to becoming the highest-grossing horror film of all time (not adjusted for inflation; The Exorcist (1973) will never be topped in that regard), you had better believe studio heads were (and are) feverishly looking to greenlight every possible Stephen King property for modern audiences. To their advantage, Kings work has famously produced more cinematic duds than classics (like 2017s waste of talent, The Dark Tower), and there are a number of been-done features ripe for a remake. One that I would suggest tackling is Children of the Corn, a 1977 short story King wrote that first appeared in Penthouse (see, sometimes the articles are worth reading). It later found a permanent home in Night Shift, a collection of his shorter works.

In 1984, the story was commissioned for a feature film, with King himself writing the first draft of the script, though it was eventually discarded for a draft done by George Goldsmith. Although the film has a strong cult following and is responsible for spawning nine sequels/remakes/whatever they are, it strays so far from Kings disturbing, dark original story that the property is perfect for reworking. Before anyone says They did that with the 2009 version try watching it again and get back to me.

In the small Midwestern town of Gatlin, Nebraska, all of the local children have fallen under the spell of Isaac (John Franklin), a self-proclaimed prophet who orders the murder of every adult in town (specifically, anyone over the age of 19) as a sacrifice to He Who Walks Behind the Rows. Cut to three years later and Gatlin is a virtual ghost town. Its surrounded by fields of corn and bereft of adult supervision. Burt (Peter Horton) and Vicky (Linda Hamilton) are traveling cross country to Seattle, where newly-minted doctor Burt will begin his practice.

As the couple approaches Gatlin, Burt, distracted while driving, hits a young boy in the road. Closer inspection reveals the boys throat had been cut prior to the accident. Burt and Vicky head to the only service station near town and find an old man (R.G. Armstrong) who implores them to avoid Gatlin and head up the highway to the next town.

Despite the old mans advice, all roads seem to lead to Gatlin. Burt finally relents and enters the city limits. There, he and Vicky meet Job (Robby Kiger) and Sarah (Anne Marie McEvoy), two of the only children in town who refuse to participate in Isaacs bloodshed. Job is adept at sneaking around. But Sarah has the true gift, able to see visions of future events through her dreams. Vicky remains behind with Sarah while Burt heads off into town in search of help. Yet he finds nothing but empty homes and savage youths. The children operate under the ruthless guidance of Malachai (Courtney Gains), Isaacs muscle who is even more sadistic than the diminutive deacon. With Burt off on his own, the children kidnap Vicky as an intended sacrifice to He Who Walks Behind the Rows. This sets up a showdown between Burt and a horde of brainwashed kids.

The original short story got under my skin when I read it twenty years ago or so. There are passages in that little tale that have stuck with me all these years later. King has a way of describing deaths so succinctly, yet also in such a way that your mind ruminates on the methods of dispatch long after you have finished his words. He provides just enough detail to chill, but not so much you feel like youre reading Saw: The Book. Now, dont get me wrong. I like me some 1984 Children of the Corn kids. But part of me has always been a little bummed the film didnt venture into unconventional filmmaking territory.

Linda Hamilton makes her feature debut here, a mere six months before the release of her watershed classic, The Terminator (1984). Of the two leading adults R.G. Armstrong doesnt exactly count, given his one-day-of-shooting role Hamilton emotes and out-acts her beau, Peter Horton, who just falls flat in the leading man category. Hamilton is mostly sidelined until she becomes the typical damsel in distress but she sells the role well enough. Horton has always been too lifeless for me.

The real meaty work in Children of the Corn is done by the kids, especially Franklin and Gains. The sermons given by Franklin are chock full of hellfire and brimstone. They portend unimaginable agony for those who would defy the word of He Who Walks Behind the Rows. Although only a boy of twelve, Franklin looks older (he was 23 at the time of filming, but a growth hormone disorder left him looking and sounding like an adult/child hybrid) and speaks like a seasoned preacher.

His scene chewing is only surpassed by Gains as Malachai, Isaacs right-hand man who is all-too-eager to shed blood. Heres a fun drinking game: take a shot every time Malachai howls Outlander!. Actually, dont because youll probably get alcohol poisoning. Gains, with his brooding looks and fiery red hair, brings a savagery and apathy to Malachai thats helped him endure as one of the films true highlights.

Let me throw some praise over to composer Jonathan Elias, too. His chanting child choir compositions are on par with such celebrated Satanic soundtracks as The Omen (1976) and Rosemarys Baby (1968). Elias is a classically trained musician who began his career in film music by composing for trailers, like Alien (1979). This film was actually the first feature he was tasked to score.

Blame it on nostalgia, but I still have a soft spot for director Fritz Kierschs interpretation of Kings short story all these years later despite its lack of bite and deviation from the superior source material. Maybe its the austere Midwestern setting or just the general notion of a cult of children murdering adults and worshiping some thing that dwells within the cornfield. Speaking of which, that was handled poorly. He Who Walks Behind the Rows turned out to be He Who Looks Like Someone Spilled a Highlighter. Didnt they finally show it in the third film? Fourth? Who can remember? I do have a weakness for 90s horror. Maybe its time to revisit this series forgotten sequels

Coming four years after their remastered in 4K Blu-ray edition, Arrow Video now releases this film on 4K Ultra HD proper. Though the 1.85:1 2160p image is perhaps a bit less impressive this time around because the increase in resolution only further exacerbates the already-heavy film grain. The prior Blu-ray presented Children of the Corn the best it has ever looked. While those improvements do remain here the image doesnt offer much additional eye candy. I noticed an incremental increase in some fine detail (during well-lit scenes) and some of the color saturation seems improved. But by and large, this is such a minor upgrade I would only recommend it for diehard fans or those who never owned the previous Arrow Blu-ray.

Audio options remain the same, with an English LPCM 2.0 stereo or DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround sound track. The film was originally mixed in Dolby. I found the best audible experience came from the stereo track, although the multi-channel isnt a slouch by any means. Effects get a bit more breathing room there but nothing about the expanded audio will impress on a sound system. Jonathan Elias score sounds utterly chilling in lossless, contributing, like, 85% of the films tension. Dialogue comes through clear and free of issues. Subtitles are available in English.

Summary

Owners of Arrows 2017 disc may find little reason to upgrade but for newcomers this disc is an easy recommendation, thanks to good-as-it-will-ever-get a/v quality and a long list of solid bonus features. Note: this release contains only a 4K disc and does not have an accompanying Blu-ray.

Categorized: Movie News Reviews

See the original post:

'Children of the Corn' (1984) 4K Review: Arrow Improves On An Already-Strong Release - Dread Central

A validation of the observer-reported outcome of the Growth Hormone Deficiency-Child Impact Measure found it valid and reliable to understand the impact of treatment with growth hormone therapy.

A psychometric validation of the observer-reported outcome (ObsRO) of the Growth Hormone Deficiency-Child Impact Measure (GHD-CIM) found it is a valid and reliable measure that can provide a patient-centric picture to the experience children have with growth hormone therapy, according to a study published in PharmacoEconomics Open.

GHD-CIM is a 33-item measure intended to have 2 options: a patient-reported outcome (PRO) for children with GHD aged 9 to 13 years and an ObsRO to be completed by the guardians of children with GHD between the ages of 4 and 9 years.

First, the researchers recruited 243 participants to take part in the validation survey. There were 145 children between the ages of 9 and 13 years who answered their own PRO and 98 parents/guardians who answered about the ObsRO.

The initial review of the validation study data found that the child data had high ceiling effects not seen in the observer data.it was determined that a PRO version for children aged 9 to < 13 years was not psychometrically sound and therefore the decision was made to have only an ObsRO measure of the GHD-CIM, the authors explained.

The mean age of the child for the participating guardians was 6.7 years. The children were mostly White (82.7%) and male (65.3%). The mean age at diagnosis was 5.1 years, and the mean age when the child started taking GHD medication was 5.2 years. The majority of children (79.6%) used a pen for medication injection and had no other health conditions (53.1%).

At baseline, participants completed a validation battery that included sociodemographic items, medical history, the GHD-CIM, the Patient Global Impression of Severity (PGIS), and more. Clinicians completed the Clinician Global Impression of Severity (CGIS).

Factor analyses identified 3 domains: physical functioning (PHYS), social well-being (SWB), and emotional well-being (EWB). The GHD-CIM is scored by adding together each domain and converting to a scale from 0 to 100 points. Higher scores represent a greater impact.

Treatment-naive participants who completed the follow-up assessment 12 weeks post baseline showed improvements in SWB, EWB, and overall scores. There was no improvement over 12 weeks in the PHYS domain.

GHD-CIM scores were calculated for groups who had a 1- to 2-point improvement in the PGIS and CGIS. Changes in the GHD-CIM total and domain scores were larger for the 2-category improvements vs the 1-category improvement.

According to the study authors, the GHD-CIM ObsRO is a validated tool that can be useful for clinicians to monitor patients and assess the impact of treatment. The simple score can be recorded and the measure repeated, providing the clinician with quality-of-life (QOL) data and an annualized height velocity as a primary end point.

As new long-acting GH therapies are currently in clinical trials, a QOL measure would also serve as additional clinical data, the authors wrote. Additionally, the GHD-CIM is intended to be used in research to assess the impact of new therapies and better understand the burden of disease.

Reference

Brod M, Hjby Rasmussen M, Vad K, et al. Psychometric validation of the Growth Hormone Deficiency-Child Impact Measure (GHD-CIM). Pharmacoecon Open. 2021;5(3):505-518. doi:10.1007/s41669-020-00252-5

See more here:

Validated Measure Assesses the Impact of Treatment for Growth Hormone Deficiency in Children - AJMC.com Managed Markets Network

A smartphone application that allows parents and carers to measure and monitor their childs height accurately could be used to help in the earlier detection of growth disorders, according to the results of a pilot study.

The GrowthMonitor smartphone app was developed by UK researchers to help tackle delays in the diagnosis of growth disorders, which they say are common in the UK. Unlike in other European countries, child growth monitoring has not been a priority and potentially treatable problems are often diagnosed late.

The app uses a simple traffic light system to inform parents that the childs growth is normal (green); that the child should continue to be monitored (amber) or that they should seek medical advice (red).

Compared with gold standard in-clinic height measurements in 79 children, the researchers found the app was highly accurate, and further testing is now underway to examine its performance in the home.

The technology could transform our approach to childhood growth monitoring, by empowering carers to identify growth problems early, enabling much earlier diagnosis and treatment of growth disorders, said Dr Thilipan Thaventhiran, research nurse in paediatric endocrinology, Queen Mary University London, London, UK, in a press release.

It could also provide reassurance to parents whose children are growing normally, thereby reducing unnecessary anxiety and referrals to paediatric services.

The research was presented at the Society for Endocrinologys annual conference, SfE BES 2021, on November 8.

Helen Storr, study leader, professor and honorary consultant in paediatric endocrinology, Queen Mary University London, London, UK, told Medscape News UK that the app is completely novel.

There are currently no apps available that can accurately assess and monitor childhood growth.

Firstly, it is developed by NHS professionals who are experts in childhood growth, which is not the case for many health apps, she said. It uses novel technology which is able to detect and flag up problems.

It has been developed in a university research environment and rigorous scientific testing is underway.

We want to raise awareness of growth disorders, as these are often undiagnosed or diagnosed late, but we also want to avoid unnecessary anxiety in parents and families, Prof Storr said.

The team is therefore working with the Child Growth Foundation because it is very important to us that we got the balance right.

We hope the traffic light system and wording used in the app reflect that aim, she said. Although people can use the app to take as many measurements as they want, the app will not send out multiple alerts, to avoid creating too much worry.

Once a red or amber alert is triggered, it will not be able to send another for 6 months, when the next formal measurement is due.

The researchers note that childhood growth is an indicator of wellbeing, and monitoring growth identifies treatable conditions, such as growth hormone deficiency, in apparently healthy children, and prevents inappropriate referrals.

The smartphone application allows families to monitor a childs growth trajectory at home by combining serial height and weight measurements with existing growth-screening algorithms on a cloud-based platform.

Source: Queen Mary University London

The app calculates height data using augmented reality, and the children were measured three times by the app in parallel to gold-standard stadiometer height measurements taken as part of routine care.

The algorithm calculated each childs height against UK population-based height references, as well as the distance from target height and changes over time. This was converted into the traffic light system to inform parents that growth is normal, or that they should continue monitoring or seek medical advice.

Seventy nine children took part in the pilot study, of whom 42 were male. The average age was 10.37 years, with a range of 1.918.0 years.

The average coefficient of variance for the in-app measurements was 1.5%, which the researchers say indicates excellent precision.

Among the 12 participants who triggered a red alert recommending referral, only two were incorrect. Comparison with the stadiometer measurements indicated they should have triggered amber alerts.

In addition, one green, or normal, measurement should have been amber, based on the stadiometer measurements.

Our preliminary data suggests the GrowthMonitor app produces accurate, reliable height measurements, the team concludes.

The study was funded by the Grant for Growth Innovation (GGI) and Barts Charity.

No relevant financial relationships declared.

Society for Endocrinology BES 2021: Abstract LB15. Presented 8 November.

Follow Medscape on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

See the rest here:

Novel App Could Help Earlier Detection of Growth Disorders - Medscape