Comparison of the growth-promoting effects of insulin-like growth factor I and growth hormone in the early years of life.
OBJECTIVE
Four infants with isolated growth hormone deficiency (IGHD) and five with Laron syndrome (LS) were studied. Birth length ranged from -2.5 to -4.5 SDS in both groups.


RESULTS
Untreated IGHD children decreased in length from -2.5 to -5.2 SDS at 1 y and to -5.7 SDS at 2 y. Human growth hormone (hGH) treatment (0.07 U/kg/d) increased height by 1.2-2.4 SDS in 3 y. Untreated children with LS decreased in length from -3.5 to -6.5 SDS. Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I treatment (150-200 microg/kg/d) in 3 LS patients increased height by 0.5-1.5 SDS in 3 y. All untreated infants had borderline or below normal head circumferences. Both treatments induced a rapid catch-up in head size. In the two untreated LS patients, head circumference remained subnormal.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite similar birth length, infants with IGHD responded better to hGH in terms of linear growth than did infants with LS to IGF-I, whereas the response in brain growth was similar.
Laron
Z
Z
Endocrinology and Diabetes Research Unit, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petah Tikva.
Klinger
B
B
D000367:Age Factors; D001827:Body Height; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005220:Fathers; D005260:Female; D006128:Growth / Q000187:drug effects*; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006257:Head / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers; D012737:Sex Factors; D013577:Syndrome
D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I