Effects of two years of growth hormone treatment in short, slowly growing non-growth hormone deficient children.
Thirty-two short, slowly growing prepubertal children with normal GH levels (after clonidine stimulation and overnight sampling) were treated with GH hormone for 2 consecutive years at a dose of 0.1 IU/kg/day s.c. Fifteen similar children were followed for 2 years without therapy (controls). Height velocity increased in our treated group from 3.8 +/- 0.9 cm/yr to 7.3 +/- 1.3 cm/yr and 7.1 +/- 0.9 cm/yr in the first and second years of therapy, with 85.7% and 87.5% of our patients growing > 2 cm/yr above baseline. Height SDS changed from -2.4 +/- 0.4 to -2.0 +/- 0.7 in the first year and to -1.8 +/- 0.5 during the second year of treatment, while bone ages increased at a slightly higher rate than chronological ages. An increase in the final height predictions of our patients during therapy was noted. Height velocity increment in the control group was not significant and height SDS of this group did not change. GH therapy in short, slowly growing non-GH deficient children seems to be effective and safe in the short term; however, its efficacy in increasing the final height of this group of patients is still undetermined.
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Unidad de Endocrinologia Pediátrica, Hospital de Clínicas Caracas, Venezuela.
D000293:Adolescent; D000365:Age Determination by Skeleton; D001827:Body Height / Q000187:drug effects; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006128:Growth / Q000187:drug effects; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011627:Puberty / Q000187:drug effects
D013006:Growth Hormone