Comparison of growth and somatomedin C responses following growth hormone treatment in children with small-for-date short stature, significant idiopathic short stature and hypopituitarism.
Somatomedin-C (Sm-C) and growth hormone (GH) levels were determined before, during and after human growth hormone (hGH) treatment in 18 children with small-for-date short stature ( SDSS ), 7 children with significant idiopathic short stature ( SISS ) and 14 children with hypopituitarism. Data on the acute effects of hGH on Sm-C were compared to growth responses after 6 to 9 months therapy. Eleven of the 25 non-hypopituitary patients with normal basal and stimulated serum GH levels and normal basal Sm-C levels increased their rates of growth more than 3.0 cm/year. This compared with 11 of the 14 children with hypopituitarism who increased their rates of growth by at least 3.0 cm/year when treated with GH. Neither the basal somatomedin levels nor the GH-stimulated somatomedin levels correlated well with subsequent growth in the non-hypopituitary patients. These studies indicate that GH therapy may be effective in treating short stature in children without demonstrable GH deficiency.
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001827:Body Height / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006128:Growth / Q000187:drug effects*; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007018:Hypopituitarism / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D008297:Male; D013002:Somatomedins / Q000097:blood*
D013002:Somatomedins; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D013006:Growth Hormone