Cleidocranial dysplasia with growth hormone deficiency: a case report

BACKGROUND: Cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD) is a rare skeletal disorder with autosomal dominant inheritance that is characterized by hypoplastic clavicles, delayed closure of the cranial sutures, dental abnormalities, and short stature, among other features. The responsible gene for CCD is RUNX2 located on the short arm of chromosome 6p21. In general, there are intrafamilial variations in height among CCD patients. Few studies have reported data on recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) treatment for patients with CCD; thus, it remains to be elucidated whether rhGH treatment can improve short stature. Here, we report a case of a 6-year-old girl with CCD who has growth hormone deficiency (GHD) and a novel mutation of RUNX2. CASE PRESENTATION: At 5 years of age, this patient was diagnosed with GHD and rhGH treatment was initiated. Thereafter, she was diagnosed with CCD due to the presence of hypoplastic clavicles and an open fontanelle, which was also observed in her mother and brother. She responded well to rhGH treatment; her height improved from − 3.2 SD to − 2.4 SD after 13 months. CONCLUSION: A detailed patient history and physical examination are necessary for the early diagnosis of CCD. Similarly, to ascertain the effect of rhGH treatment, careful evaluation of the patient’s final height post-therapy is needed.