Treatment of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis with growth hormone.
Severe growth retardation and profoundly altered body composition are observed in children with juvenile chronic arthritis receiving glucocorticoids. This study assessed the effects of growth hormone (GH) on height velocity, body composition and bone density. Fourteen patients were treated with GH (1.4 U/kg/week) for 1 year and then studied for a 2nd year off GH. The treatment increased insulin-like growth factor 1 and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 plasma levels. All patients showed an increase in height velocity. Lean body mass increased by 12%. After the cessation of GH therapy, height velocity fell to pretreatment values, and weight and fat mass increased markedly. Bone formation and resorption markers significantly increased during treatment and returned to pretreatment values after discontinuation of GH treatment. These results suggest that GH may partially counteract the adverse effects of glucocorticoids on growth and metabolism in patients with chronic inflammatory disease.
Simon
D
D
Service d'Endocrinologie et Diabétologie Pédiatriques, Hôpital Robert-Debré, Paris, France.
Prieur
A
A
Czernichow
P
P
D000365:Age Determination by Skeleton; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001823:Body Composition; D001827:Body Height; D015519:Bone Density; D016723:Bone Remodeling; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / Q000097:blood; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
D005938:Glucocorticoids; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I