Growth hormone therapy for short stature in Diamond Blackfan anemia.
BACKGROUND
We report a 13-year-old male with Diamond Blackfan anemia and short stature. He had a normal biochemical response to growth hormone (GH) stimulation, but his bone age was delayed, his insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) was low, and he had a poor growth velocity. He was started on daily GH injections.


METHODS
From the patient's medical record the following data were collected: serial heights, serial weights, hemoglobin, hematocrit, bone age, IGF-1, and steroid dose.


RESULTS
This patient had an increase in growth velocity up to 8.2 cm/year.


CONCLUSIONS
Growth hormone therapy should be considered in children with DBA, short stature and poor growth velocity.
Scott
Emily Gale
EG
Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Akron Children's Hospital, One Perkins Square, Akron, Ohio, USA. eg@neoucom.edu
Haider
Anzar
A
Hord
Jeffrey
J
D000293:Adolescent; D029503:Anemia, Diamond-Blackfan / Q000150:complications*; D001827:Body Height; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D019382:Human Growth Hormone