Amplitude of pubertal growth in short stature children with intrauterine growth retardation.
OBJECTIVE
Pubertal growth contributes to 15-18% of adult height. A blunted pubertal peak could contribute to short adult height in short children born with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR).


METHODS
Pubertal growth, from onset of puberty to final height, was investigated in 75 short IUGR children: 47 were treated with recombinant human growth hormone (GH) (tx) before pubertal onset (mean dose: 0.4 IU/kg/week); 28 were not treated (no-tx). They were compared with 98 normal children.


RESULTS
Puberty occurred later in IUGR children than in controls (boys 14.2 +/- 1 years vs. 12.1 +/- 0.8 years; girls 12 +/- 1 years vs. 11.2 +/- 0.8 years; p < 0.0001). In girls, total pubertal growth was similar in all three groups (tx: 19.3 +/- 4.8 cm; no-tx 19.8 +/- 4.9 cm; controls 20.2 +/- 3.9 cm; non-significant). IUGR boys had a reduced pubertal growth (tx: 21.3 +/- 6.2 cm; no-tx: 23.9 +/- 6.1; controls 26.9 +/- 3.9 cm; p < 0.05). The age at puberty onset was the major determinant of pubertal growth amplitude (boys: r = 0.53, p < 0.001; girls: r = 0.45, p < 0.001). IUGR children exhibited little catch-up growth during puberty.


CONCLUSIONS
In the present study, we describe a delayed onset of puberty in short children born with IUGR. Moreover, prepubertal GH treatment was associated in boys with a decrease in the amplitude of the pubertal spurt, a finding that should be further evaluated in clinical trials.
Lienhardt
Anne
A
Service d'Endocrinologie Pédiatrique, Hôpital Saint Vincent de Paul, Paris, France. anne.lienhardt@unilim.fr
Carel
Jean-Claude
JC
Preux
Pierre-Marie
PM
Coutant
Régis
R
Chaussain
Jean-Louis
JL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000150:complications*; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011627:Puberty / Q000502:physiology*; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013997:Time Factors
D013006:Growth Hormone