Foot length before and during insulin-like growth factor-I treatment of children with laron syndrome compared to human growth hormone treatment of children with isolated growth hormone deficiency.
OBJECTIVE
To compare foot length deficits between patients with Laron syndrome (LS) (primary growth hormone [GH] insensitivity) and congenital isolated GH deficiency (IGHD) and their response to replacement therapy with insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and hGH, respectively.


METHODS
Data for the study were collected from the records of nine children with LS (3 M, 6 F) 7.8 +/- 4.8 years old (mean +/- SD), and nine children with IGHD (3 M, 6 F), 3.8 +/- 3.3 years old. Fifteen non-treated adult patients with LS were also included in the study.


METHODS
Measurements of foot length were recorded without treatment and monitored during 9 years of treatment in the children and in the untreated adult patients. For statistical analysis the non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test was used.


RESULTS
With almost similar basal values in growth deficit and pre-treatment growth velocities, the achievements towards norms after 9 years of treatment were greater in the patients with IGHD than in the patients with LS: foot length reached -1.4 +/- 0.8 vs. -3.3 +/- 1.0 SDS (mean +/- SD), and body height -2.2 +/- 1.0 vs. -3.9 +/- 0.5 SDS. The difference between the two groups could be due to the initiation of replacement therapy in the patients with IGHD at a younger age. Adult foot size of untreated patients with LS is small but less retarded than the height deficit.


CONCLUSIONS
Both IGF-I and hGH are potent growth stimulating hormones of linear growth and acrae as exemplified by foot growth.
Silbergeld
Aviva
A
Endocrinology and Diabetes Research Unit, Schneider Children's Medical Center, Petah Tikva.
Lilos
Pearl
P
Laron
Zvi
Z
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001827:Body Height / Q000187:drug effects; D002648:Child; D004393:Dwarfism, Pituitary / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005528:Foot / Q000254:growth & development*; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D046150:Laron Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D013006:Growth Hormone