title: Increases in hemoglobin concentration and iron needs in response to growth hormone treatment.
abstract: We studied 36 children with short stature during the initial 6 months of recombinant human growth hormone treatment and found an elevation in the mean concentration of hemoglobin (p < 0.001). The elevation was highest in the eight patients with bone dysplasia (p < 0.001). The mean concentration of serum ferritin decreased (p < 0.01) and that of serum transferrin increased (p < 0.001). The prevalence of iron deficiency increased  from 6 patients (17%) with initial deficiency to 20 (56%) patients after therapy, indicating that iron supplementation should be considered in children treated with recombinant human growth hormone.
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital, University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vihervuori
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sipilä
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Siimes
mesh_terms: D000747:Anemia, Hypochromic / Q000139:chemically induced*; D002648:Child; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014168:Transferrin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D014168:Transferrin; D013006:Growth Hormone; D005293:Ferritins