The influence of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) on childhood linear growth remains incompletely defined, with prior findings showing variability. A retrospective study published in Pediatric Diabetes assessed height standard deviation score (H-SDS) and growth velocity in children with T1DM and evaluated whether glycemic control and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) use influenced growth patterns during the first 5 years after diagnosis.

The cohort included 150 children diagnosed between October 2005 and May 2022 with at least 1 year of follow-up. Individuals with thyroid disease, celiac disease, or other chronic conditions were excluded. The mean age at diagnosis was 7.8 ± 3.6 years, and 45.3% were male. At diagnosis, mean H-SDS was 0.38 ± 1.11. Longitudinal analysis demonstrated a significant decline in H-SDS among males (β −0.054; SE 0.013; 95% CI −0.079 to −0.029; p < 0.01). This decline was more pronounced in children with a mean HbA1c ≥7.0% compared with <7.0% (β −0.081 vs −0.007; p<0.01). Among boys using CGM, the decrease in H-SDS over 5 years was smaller than in those not using CGM (β −0.012; SE 0.023 vs β −0.072; SE 0.015; p = 0.03).

Multivariable linear mixed modeling identified younger age at diagnosis, female sex, and lower HbA1c levels as independent factors associated with greater improvement in H-SDS over 5 years. These findings indicate that glycemic control and CGM use were associated with more favorable linear growth trajectories, particularly in males with T1DM.