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.
Department of Pediatrics at Evanston Hospital, IL, USA.
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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