title: Effectiveness of rhGH treatment on final height of renal-transplant recipients in childhood.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Growth retardation is a considerable clinical problem in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Optimization of metabolic and nutritional parameters does not always lead to improved growth. Recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) treatment has been used to improve height. Several studies in the literature have shown increased growth velocity, although data on the final height (FH) reached are scarce.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We assessed the effect of rhGH on FH standard deviation score (SDS) in children with CKD following renal transplantation (RTx), comparing it with patients who did not receive rhGH (control group) but were treated with the same protocol and followed up in a single Center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-three patients received rhGH treatment until FH. Fourteen who refused rhGH therapy were included in the controls. Prognostic factors for FH and changes in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) during follow-up were also analyzed
  
  
  RESULTS
  FH SDS in rhGH-treated patients was significantly higher than in controls (-1.88 ± 1.14 vs -3.48 ± 1.19 SDS, respectively, p <0.05). In both groups, a similar reduction in GFR was observed. Height (SDS) at onset of rhGH treatment was the only statistically significant variable useful to predict response to treatment (p = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings confirm that rhGH is effective to improve FH in CKD RTx patients, without affecting kidney function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Hospital de Pediatria Garrahan, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gil
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vaiani
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guercio
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ciaccio
authors.forename: Amalia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Turconi
authors.forename: Norma
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Delgado
authors.forename: Marco A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rivarola
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Belgorosky
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001118:Argentina; D001827:Body Height / Q000187:drug effects*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D019382:Human Growth Hormone