Effect of growth hormone (GH) treatment on the near-final height of 1258 patients with idiopathic GH deficiency: analysis of a large international database.
BACKGROUND
Treatment with GH has been used to correct the growth deficit in children with GH deficiency (GHD). Although successful in increasing height velocity, such treatment often falls short of helping patients achieve full genetic height potential.


OBJECTIVE
This study set out to analyze near-final height (FH) data from a cohort of GH-treated children with idiopathic GHD.


METHODS
Of 1258 evaluable patients in the Pfizer International Growth Database (KIGS) with GHD, 980 were of Caucasian origin, and 278 were of Japanese origin; 747 had isolated GHD (IGHD), and 511 had multiple pituitary hormone deficiencies (MPHD).


METHODS
Near-FH, relation to midparental height, and factors predictive of growth outcomes were the main outcome measures.


RESULTS
Median height sd scores (SDS) at the start of treatment were -2.4 (IGHD) and -2.9 (MPHD) for Caucasian males and -2.6 (IGHD) and -3.4 (MPHD) for females, respectively; comparable starting heights were -2.9 (IGHD) and -3.6 (MPHD) for Japanese males and -3.3 (IGHD) and -4.0 (MPHD) for females, respectively. Corresponding near-adult height SDS after GH treatment were -0.8 (IGHD) and -0.7 (MPHD) for Caucasian males and -1.0 (IGHD) and -1.1 (MPHD) for females, respectively; and -1.6 (IGHD) and -1.9 (MPHD) for Japanese males and -2.1 (IGHD) and -1.8 (MPHD) for females, respectively. Differences between near-adult height and midparental height ranged between -0.6 and +0.2 SDS for the various groups, with the closest approximation to MPH occurring in Japanese males with MPHD. The first-year increase in height SDS and prepubertal height gain was highly correlated with total height gain, confirming the importance of treatment before pubertal onset.


CONCLUSIONS
It is possible to achieve FH within the midparental height range in patients with idiopathic GHD treated from an early age with GH, but absolute height outcomes remain in the lower part of the normal range. Patients with MPHD generally had a slightly better long-term height outcome.
Baystate Medical Center Children's Hospital, Tufts University School of Medicine, Springfield, Massachusetts 01199, USA. edward.reiter@bhs.org
Edward O
EO
Reiter
David A
DA
Price
Patrick
P
Wilton
Kerstin
K
Albertsson-Wikland
Michael B
MB
Ranke
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001827:Body Height; D019992:Databases as Topic; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000172:deficiency*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D013006:Growth Hormone