title: Physical activity as measured by accelerometry in children receiving growth hormone.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Parents of children treated with growth hormone (GH) frequently report to the paediatrician that their children have become more physically active. In the present study, activity patterns of GH-treated children were measured and compared to those of healthy controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects were 25 children at the start of GH treatment (age 8.4 +/- 2.6 y) and 19 age- and gender-matched controls (age 8.8 +/- 3.2 y). Physical activity was assessed with a tri-axial accelerometer for movement registration over two separate 2-wk intervals, one before the start of GH treatment and one 2 wk after the start of treatment. GH-treated subjects were categorized as poor responders (change in height over 1 y <0.7 SDS, n = 15) or good responders (change in height over 1 y >0.7 SDS, n = 10).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Before therapy, good responders showed a significantly lower physical activity compared to healthy controls, spending significantly less time on high-intensity activities. This difference disappeared 2 wk after the start of therapy. Physical activity in poor responders was not significantly different from controls before and after 2 wk of GH therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children who respond well to GH therapy (change in height >0.7 SDS) showed a reduced amount of physical activity before therapy, which was normalized after 2 wk of GH therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands. marije.hoos@kg.unimaas.nl
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Hoos
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Westerterp
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kuipers
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schuwirth
authors.forename: W J M
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Gerver
mesh_terms: D001120:Arginine; D002648:Child; D003000:Clonidine; D004393:Dwarfism, Pituitary / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D013006:Growth Hormone; D001120:Arginine; D003000:Clonidine