title: Is the growth outcome of children with idiopathic short stature and isolated growth hormone deficiency following treatment with growth hormone and a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist superior to that obtained by GH alone?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of combined therapy with growth hormone (GH) and luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist (LHRHa) on the near-final height (NFH) of children with idiopathic short stature (ISS) and growth hormone deficiency (GHD) in early puberty.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis of 20 patients with ISS and 9 patients with GHD treated with combined therapy was undertaken. Twelve children with ISS and ten with GHD, treated with GH alone, served as controls. Patients were matched at baseline for chronological age, bone age, height standard deviation score (SDS), and pubertal development.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with ISS or GHD treated with combined therapy improved both their predicted adult height (PAH) at 2 years of therapy (ISS, p < 0.001; GHD, p = 0.03) and their NFH (ISS, p < 0.05; GHD, p = 0.05). Treatment with combined therapy did not generate additional benefits on the PAH after 2 years of therapy (ISS children, an increase of 7.9 +/- 4.9 cm with combined therapy vs. 7.3 +/- 6.0 cm with GH; GHD children, an increase of 6.8 +/- 7.8 cm with combined therapy vs. 5 +/- 5.9 cm with GH). The total height gain SDS was higher in patients treated with GH alone compared with those with combined therapy, but the difference was not significant (ISS children, a gain of 2.4 SDS with GH vs. 0.8 SDS with combined therapy; GHD children, a gain of 1.8 SDS with GH vs. 0.6 SDS with combined therapy).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although 2 years of combined treatment with GH and LHRHa improved the PAH and the NFH of ISS and GHD patients in early puberty, this improvement was not significant compared with that observed in similar subjects treated with GH alone.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Venezolano de los Seguros Sociales, Hospital Dr. Patrocinio Peñuela Ruiz, Tachira, Venezuela 5001. acolmena62@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Colmenares
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gunczler
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lanes
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000365:Age Determination by Skeleton; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004393:Dwarfism, Pituitary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000819:agonists*; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000172:deficiency; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone