title: Bone age is the best predictor of growth response to recombinant human growth hormone in Turner's syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) is approved for use in children with Turner's syndrome (TS) in most industrialized countries and is recommended in the recently issued guidelines. We determined the growth responses of girls who are treated with rhGH for TS, with an aim to identify the predictors of growth response.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-six prepubertal girls with TS, documented by peripheral blood karyotype, were enrolled. All the patients received biosynthetic growth hormone therapy with a standard dose of 30 IU/m(2)/week. The calculated dose per week was divided for 6 days and given subcutaneously at night.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This study showed that rhGH therapy provides satisfactory auxological results. Bone age delay is to be considered as a predictive factor which may negatively influence the effect of rhGH therapy on final height. The growth velocity in the preceding year is the most important predictor of rhGH therapy response.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These observations help us to guide rhGH prescription, to reduce the risks and costs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Nagwa Abdallah
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Ismail
authors.forename: Nermeen Salah
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Eldin Metwaly
authors.forename: Fatma Ahmed
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: El-Moguy
authors.forename: Mona Hassan
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Hafez
authors.forename: Soha M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Abd El Dayem
authors.forename: Tarek Mohamed
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Farid