title: Idiopathic short stature: decision making in growth hormone use.
abstract: Short stature is a common concern in pediatrics. Several ambiguities and controversies persist, especially with regard to criteria, cost, medical necessity and outcomes of growth hormone (GH) therapy for idiopathic short stature (ISS). Due to these ambiguities and controversies, a series of decisions by primary care physicians (whether to refer the short child to a pediatric endocrinologist), pediatric endocrinologist (whether to recommend GH treatment), families (whether to raise concern about short stature and whether to agree to undertake treatment), and third party payers (whether to cover the costs of GH therapy) influence which individual short children will receive GH in the US. Together, these decisions determine overall GH use. Apart from child's growth characteristics, several non-physiological factors drive the critical decisions of these stakeholders. This article focuses on current ambiguities and controversies regarding GH therapy in ISS, discusses the decision-makers involved in GH therapy, and explores the factors influencing their decisions.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, The Center for Child Health and Policy, Department of Pediatrics, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Case Western Reserve University, 11100 Euclid Avenue, Room 737, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
authors.forename: Nidhi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maheshwari
authors.forename: Naveen K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Uli
authors.forename: Sumana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Narasimhan
authors.forename: Leona
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cuttler
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D004392:Dwarfism / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D019382:Human Growth Hormone
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