TOPLINE:

Children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) had significantly higher serum levels of suppressor of cytokine signalling 2 (SOCS2) than those without CKD, and elevated levels of this biomarker showed acceptable diagnostic performance for predicting short stature.

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers conducted a cross-sectional study to assess the association between serum levels of SOCS2 — a protein that acts as a negative regulator of growth hormone receptor signalling — and growth parameters in children with CKD.
• They included 55 children with CKD stages 2-5 (median age, 7.4 years; 14 girls) and 27 age- and sex-matched children without CKD.
• Serum levels of SOCS2 were measured using a high-sensitivity enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
• Clinical details and data on anthropometric parameters (including height and BMI), kidney function, and biochemical markers were collected.
• Growth impairment was assessed using height SD scores (SDSs); short stature was defined as a height SDS < -2 based on standard growth charts.

TAKEAWAY:

• Children with CKD had significantly higher levels of SOCS2 than those without CKD (median, 1526.5 vs 1294.6 pg/ml; P < .001).
• Among children with CKD, SOCS2 levels were negatively correlated with height SDSs (correlation coefficient, -0.30; P = .029).
• Elevated levels of SOCS2 and a lower estimated glomerular filtration rate were independent predictors of lower height SDSs.
• SOCS2 demonstrated a moderate-to-good diagnostic profile for predicting short stature (area under the curve, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.64-0.91), and a cut-off value of 1418.32 pg/ml predicted growth deficit with 79.5% sensitivity and 68.8% specificity.

IN PRACTICE:

"Our findings suggest that circulating SOCS2 is elevated in children with CKD and is independently associated with growth impairment. These results provide new insight into the mechanisms underlying GH [growth hormone] resistance in pediatric CKD and suggest that SOCS2 may serve as a useful biomarker of growth impairment," the authors wrote.

SOURCE:

This study was led by Anna Deja, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland. It was published online on November 28, 2025, in Pediatric Nephrology.

LIMITATIONS:

The cross-sectional design prevented the establishment of causal relationships between variables. The high prevalence of short stature reflected the centre's patient profile rather than the overall epidemiology. Additionally, the relatively small sample size limited subgroup analyses by CKD stage and aetiology.

DISCLOSURES:

This study did not receive any financial support. The authors declared having no competing interests.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.