Long-term treatment with GHRH [1-44] amide in prepubertal children with classical growth hormone deficiency.
A cohort of 20 GH deficient prepubertal patients were treated with GHRH [1-44] 10 micrograms/kg or 20 micrograms/kg twice daily for up to four years (5 patients). GHRH treatment resulted in sustained improvement in height velocity. The mean prepubertal height velocity was 3.57 +/- 1.05 cm/yr pretreatment; 8.49 +/- 1.45 cm/yr at year 1; 6.86 +/- 1.45 cm/yr at year 2; 6.22 +/- 0.74 cm/yr at year 3; and 6.16 +/- 0.97 cm/yr at year 4. IGF-I levels increased and remained within normal range. The difference between the children's and the parents' Ht SD scores significantly diminished from a pretreatment difference of -2.43 to -0.48 after four years of treatment. No adverse effects were noted during treatment. We conclude that twice-daily GHRH [1-44] treatment in a small group of prepubertal GH deficient children resulted in sustained improvement in height and growth velocity, and achieved height SDS approaching closely those of their parents.
Duck
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SC
Department of Pediatrics at Evanston Hospital, IL, USA.
Rapaport
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D000293:Adolescent; D000365:Age Determination by Skeleton; D001827:Body Height; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006128:Growth; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000172:deficiency*; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D011627:Puberty; D012727:Sex Characteristics
D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone