title: Growth acceleration in children with chronic renal failure treated with growth-hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH).
abstract: Growth retardation is a prominent clinical manifestation in children with chronic renal failure (CRF). Nine children with CRF (3 on conservative treatment; 3 on dialysis and 3 after renal transplantation) aged 1.6 to 14.0 (x +/- SE: 8.1 +/- 1.4) years, were treated with twice daily subcutaneous injections of 26 +/- 2.4 micrograms/kg/day growth-hormone-releasing-hormone [GHRH (1-29) NH2 Serono (Geref)] during 3 to 6 months. Mean serum urea and creatinine remained stable, although 2 patients on conservative treatment showed a moderate increase in serum creatinine. At the start of the study, height SDS was -2.2 +/- 0.2 (x +/- SE), growth velocity was 4.5 +/- 1.0 cm/year (-2.3 +/- 0.6 DS for chronological age) and growth hormone (GH) response to acute GHRH test (1 microgram/kg IV) was 62 +/- 17.5 ng/ml. Five patients increased height velocity from 3.8 +/- 0.7 to 8.0 +/- 1.2 cm/year (paired t test, p < 0.05). The peak GH response to GHRH was significantly higher in the group of growth non-responders than in the responders (p < 0.05). In conclusion, 5 out of 9 short children with CRF, 3 on conservative treatment, 1 on dialysis and 1 post renal transplantation, showed improved growth in response to GHRH therapy. No consistent effect on renal function was detected. GHRH may be an alternative therapy to increase growth velocity in patients with CRF.
authors.affiliation: Sección de Endocrinología, Crecimiento y Desarrollo, Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pasqualini
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ferraris
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fainstein-Day
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Eymann
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moyano Caturelly
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ruiz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ramirez
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gutman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000886:Anthropometry; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006128:Growth / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D017337:Sermorelin / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D017337:Sermorelin