Artistic representations of short stature, a tentative diagnosis.

Abstract

Throughout human history, disease-related short stature has represented a source of fascination. Following the recent advances in genetics and molecular biology, several hundreds of possible causes are now to be considered. We present herein a few examples of the diagnosis approach of such cases from art sources (sculptures, paintings or photographs for the most recent periods), associated or not with biographical data, allowing semiological and anthropological analyses. The explored period spans from antic great civilizations to 19th Century Western societies. The palaeopathological diagnosis method is based upon medical approach. It includes a search for possible associated abnormalities and the distinction between proportioned, mainly related to hormonal disorders (particularly growth hormone deficiency), and non-proportioned cases especially associated with genetic skeletal dysplasias. Among this latter category, achondroplasia is the most represented cause of short stature. Other more exceptional etiologies are also reported.