title: An overview of the GHMonitor, a registry of children treated with Saizen somatropin [recombinant hGH for injection].
abstract: The GHMonitor, introduced in 1998, monitors demographics and outcomes in children treated with Saizen (somatropin [recombinant hGH for injection]). Follow-up data are available on 697 patients. The proportion of male to female patients receiving growth hormone (GH) treatment was 67:33. Severity of the height deficit present at enrollment varied by diagnosis with patients with Turner syndrome being shortest [height standard deviation score (SDS)=-3.7+/-1.7] and those with organic GH deficiency the least severely stunted (height SDS=-1.9+/-1.5). Forty-eight patients (6.9%) discontinued participation in the registry. The most common reason for discontinuing GH was completion of growth; the second was family relocation. There were 53 adverse events reported in 33 patients in 1977 patient-years of followup. Most were self-limited but 13 were serious, and 5 resulted in discontinuation of treatment. Data from The GHMonitor provide a real world glimpse of current North American GH treatment practices.
authors.affiliation: Medical Affairs, Serono Inc, Rockland, MA 02370, USA. sandra.blethen@serono.com
authors.forename: Sandra L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Blethen
authors.forename: Fanny
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: Rosann
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reinhart
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D012042:Registries
chemical_list: D019382:Human Growth Hormone