title: Methylphenidate and the response to growth hormone treatment in short children born small for gestational age.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Growth hormone (GH) treatment has become a frequently applied growth promoting therapy in short children born small for gestational age (SGA). Children born SGA have a higher risk of developing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Treatment of ADHD with methylphenidate (MP) has greatly increased in recent years, therefore more children are being treated with GH and MP simultaneously. Some studies have found an association between MP treatment and growth deceleration, but data are contradictory.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To explore the effects of MP treatment on growth in GH-treated short SGA children
  
  
  METHODS
  Anthropometric measurements were performed in 78 GH-treated short SGA children (mean age 10.6 yr), 39 of whom were also treated with MP (SGA-GH/MP). The SGA-GH/MP group was compared to 39 SGA-GH treated subjects. They were matched for sex, age and height at start of GH, height SDS at start of MP treatment and target height SDS. Serum insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) levels were yearly determined. Growth, serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels during the first three years of treatment were analyzed using repeated measures regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The SGA-GH/MP group had a lower height gain during the first 3 years than the SGA-GH subjects, only significant between 6 and 12 months of MP treatment. After 3 years of MP treatment, the height gain was 0.2 SDS (± 0.1 SD) lower in the SGA-GH/MP group (P = 0.17). Adult height was not significantly different between the SGA-GH/MP and SGA-GH group (-1.9 SDS and -1.9 SDS respectively, P = 0.46). Moreover, during the first 3 years of MP treatment IGF-I and IGFBP-3 measurements were similar in both groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MP has some negative effect on growth during the first years in short SGA children treated with GH, but adult height is not affected.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Subdivision of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC/Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. j.renes@erasmusmc.nl
authors.forename: Judith S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Renes
authors.forename: Maria A J
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: de Ridder
authors.forename: Petra E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Breukhoven
authors.forename: Annemieke J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Lem
authors.forename: Anita C S
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Hokken-Koelega
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001827:Body Height / Q000187:drug effects*; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005260:Female; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / Q000097:blood; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008774:Methylphenidate / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D008774:Methylphenidate; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I