[The effectiveness of recombinant growth hormone in height deficiency due to intrauterine growth retardation].
BACKGROUND
Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) is considered to be responsible for approximately 20% of short stature in adulthood. Although GH secretion is normal in the majority of cases, excellent results have been published by some authors using GH to treat children with height deficiency due to IUGR.


METHODS
Thirty children with a history of IUGR with chronological ages between 2 and 7 years and height less than 2 SD were randomized in two groups for one year: a) control group, no treatment, 14 cases, and b) treatment group, 1 U/kg/week of recombinant GH, 16 cases. Growth and maturation were analysed periodically in both groups. In addition, serum levels of GH, IGF-I, IGFBP3 and GHBP were measured before and under treatment and adverse events were assessed in treatment group.


RESULTS
In the treated group significant increments in growth rate, cm/year (median = 6.91 vs 9.94), improvement in height SDS (median = -2.19 vs -1.63) and positivation of growth rate (median = -0.13 vs 3.17) were observed compared with the control group. Bone age evolved parallelly to chronological age and the height age/bone age ratio increased throughout the study under GH therapy. Hormonal findings in the treated group showed a significant increase in IGF-I and IGFBP3 values. Glycaemia levels increased without exceeding upper normal levels in the treated group.


CONCLUSIONS
GH was effective in promoting growth in this short-term study in children with height deficiency due to IUGR. Close follow-up is required to detect any adverse event, particularly those related to carbohydrate metabolism.
Vicens-Calvet
E
E
Hospital Universitario Materno-Infantil Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona.
Seijo
G
G
Potau
N
N
de los Llanos Moreno
M
M
Carrascosa
A
A
D000365:Age Determination by Skeleton; D001824:Body Constitution; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000150:complications*; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D018969:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
D006454:Hemoglobins; D018969:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Proteins; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D013006:Growth Hormone; D013974:Thyroxine
Efectividad de la hormona de crecimiento recombinante en el déficit de talla debido a retraso de crecimiento intrauterino.