title: Corneal thickness in children with growth hormone deficiency: the effect of GH treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The eye represents a target site for GH action, although few data are available in patients with GH deficiency (GHD). Our aim was to evaluate central corneal thickness (CCT) and intraocular pressure (IOP) values in GHD children to assess the role played by GHD or GH treatment on these parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 74 prepubertal GHD children (51M, 23F, aged 10.4±2.4years) we measured CCT and IOP before and after 12months of treatment. A baseline evaluation was also made in 50 healthy children matched for age, gender and body mass index. The study outcome considered CCT and IOP during treatment and their correlations with biochemical and auxological data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No difference in CCT and IOP between GHD children at baseline and controls was found (all p>0.005). GHD children after 12months of therapy showed greater CCT (564.7±13.1μm) than both baseline values (535.7±17μm; p<0.001) and control subjects (536.2±12.5μm; p<0.001), with a concomitantly higher corrected mean IOP (15.6±0.7mmHg; p<0.001) than both baseline (12.5±0.8mmHg; p<0.001) and controls (12.3±0.5mmHg; p<0.001), without correlation with auxological and biochemical parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  12months of GH treatment in children with GHD, regardless of auxological and biochemical data, affect CCT and IOP. Our findings suggest careful ocular evaluation in these patients to prevent undesirable side effects during the follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Department of Internal and Specialistic Medicine (DIBIMIS), Section of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Metabolism, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ciresi
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neuroscience, Ophthalmology Section, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Morreale
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Department of Internal and Specialistic Medicine (DIBIMIS), Section of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Metabolism, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Radellini
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neuroscience, Ophthalmology Section, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cillino
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Department of Internal and Specialistic Medicine (DIBIMIS), Section of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Metabolism, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy. Electronic address: carla.giordano@unipa.it.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Giordano
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003315:Cornea / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects*; D004393:Dwarfism, Pituitary / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D019382:Human Growth Hormone
keywords: Corneal thickness; GH deficiency; GH treatment; Growth hormone