A stepwise increase in recombinant human growth hormone dosing during puberty achieves improved pubertal growth: a National Cooperative Growth Study report.
The magnitude of the pubertal growth spurt contributes to adult height. Children treated with increased doses of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) during puberty have shown improved near adult height (NAH) outcomes that varied by treatment duration.


METHODS
Males, in a single clinic, treated with a prepubertal dose of rhGH (0.3 mg/kg/wk) received 0.1 mg/kg/wk dose increases with successive Tanner stages up to 0.6 mg/kg/wk. Changes in height and height SDS from pubertal onset to NAH were assessed in patients attaining NAH after > or =3 years (n = 23) and > or =4 years (n = 16). Using ANCOVA, outcomes were compared to closely matched patients (n = 758) from the National Cooperative Growth Study treated with a fixed dose (0.3 mg/kg/wk) throughout puberty.


RESULTS
Compared to matched patients, a 3.6 cm greater increase in mean height gain and a 0.49 greater increase in mean height SDS (p <0.0001) during puberty was observed in patients attaining NAH after > or =3 years. Corresponding values were 3.9 cm and 0.54 (p <0.0001) in patients attaining NAH after > or =4 years.


CONCLUSIONS
Stepwise increases in rhGH improved pubertal height gain when compared to a fixed dose and may represent an alternate approach to managing the patient during puberty.
Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Albany Medical Center, Albany, NY 12208, USA. riddicl@mail.amc.edu
Linda
L
Riddick
Craig
C
Alter
D Aaron
DA
Davis
James
J
Frane
Barbara
B
Lippe
Bert
B
Bakker
D000293:Adolescent; D001827:Body Height / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011627:Puberty / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D019382:Human Growth Hormone