title: Does growth hormone treatment influence pubertal development in short children?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the influence of growth hormone (GH) treatment on the initiation and progression of puberty in short children.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective, randomized, controlled study included 124 short children (33 girls) who received GH treatment (Genotropin®; Pfizer Inc.) from a mean age of 11 years until near adult height [intent-to-treat (ITT) population]. Children were randomized into three groups: controls (n = 33), GH 33 μg/kg/day (n = 34) or GH 67 μg/kg/day (n = 57). Prepubertal children at study start constituted the per-protocol (PP) population (n = 101). Auxological measurements were made and puberty was staged every 3 months. Serum sex-steroid concentrations were assessed every 6 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant differences were found between the groups, of both PP and ITT populations, in time elapsed from start of treatment until either onset of puberty, age at start of puberty or age at final pubertal maturation in either sex. In the ITT population, pubertal duration was significantly longer in GH-treated girls, and maximum mean testicular volume was significantly greater in GH-treated boys than controls, but there were no differences in testosterone levels between the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GH treatment did not influence age at onset of puberty and did not accelerate pubertal development. In boys, GH treatment appeared to increase testicular volume.
authors.affiliation: Göteborg Pediatric Growth Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy-University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden. anna-karin.albin@skane.se
authors.forename: Anna-Karin
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Albin
authors.forename: Carina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ankarberg-Lindgren
authors.forename: Torsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tuvemo
authors.forename: Björn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jonsson
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Albertsson-Wikland
authors.forename: E Martin
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Ritzén
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017668:Age of Onset; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008572:Menarche; D011627:Puberty / Q000187:drug effects*; D013737:Testis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D013739:Testosterone