title: Idiopathic short stature.
abstract: Idiopathic short stature (ISS) is a term used to describe the status of children with short stature that cannot be attributed to a specific cause. Many children diagnosed as having ISS have partial GH insensitivity, which can result from disturbances at various points of the GH-IGF-I axis. Several clinical studies on spontaneous growth in ISS showed that adult height was almost in the range of target height. GH treatment led to adult height not significantly higher than the pretreatment predicted adult height in most reports. No metabolic side effects have been observed, even when the dose was higher than in GH deficiency. Manipulation of puberty with gonadotrophin releasing hormone analogues reported by a few authors in a small number of children has shown conflicting results. Long-term psychological benefits of GH therapy for short normal children have not been demonstrated to date.
authors.affiliation: Paediatric Endocrinology Service, University La Sapienza Rome, Italy. annamarp@tin.it
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Pasquino
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Albanese
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bozzola
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Butler
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Buzi
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cherubini
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chiarelli
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cavallo
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Drop
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stanhope
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Kelnar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001827:Body Height / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011627:Puberty / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D013006:Growth Hormone