Gender does not influence prepubertal growth velocity during standard growth hormone therapy--analysis of United States KIGS data.
BACKGROUND
Gender is an important determinant that affects the ultimate dose of growth hormone (GH) used for replacement in adult GH deficiency (GHD). Women require larger doses of GH per body weight to achieve comparable age-adjusted serum IGF-I concentrations than do men.


OBJECTIVE
To test whether this is entirely a sex steroid effect or biologically inherent in gender.


METHODS
We examined growth response to GH (0.25-0.35 mg/kg/week) during the first 2 years of therapy in 147 children (44 girls), and in the first 3 years of therapy in 83 of these children (23 girls). Children were aged 3-8 years at onset of therapy, had peak stimulated GH <10 microg/l, and were reported to be prepubertal during the period of analysis.


RESULTS
In the relative absence of sex steroid, there was no gender difference in growth velocity SDS or gain in height SDS during 2 or 3 years of GH therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
Inherent gender differences in linear growth response to GH prior to puberty may exist, but are not evident in the first years of GH therapy at this GH dose.
Rose
Susan R
SR
Endocrinology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA. susan.rose@cchmc.org
Shulman
Dorothy I
DI
Larsson
Pontus
P
Wakley
Lynnell R
LR
Wills
Stacey
S
Bakker
Bert
B
D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States
D013006:Growth Hormone