title: Serum NT-proCNP levels increased after initiation of GH treatment in patients with achondroplasia/hypochondroplasia.
abstract: Serum amino-terminal propeptide of C-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proCNP) levels have been proposed as a biomarker of linear growth in healthy children. The usefulness of NT-proCNP in patients with achondroplasia (ACH)/hypochondroplasia (HCH) remains to be elucidated. The objective was to study whether serum NT-proCNP level is a good biomarker for growth in ACH/HCH and other patients of short stature.
  
  
  
  This was a longitudinal cohort study.
  
  
  
  Sixteen children with ACH (aged 0·4-4·3 years), six children with HCH (2·7-6·3 years), 23 children with idiopathic short stature (ISS) (2·2-9·0 years), eight short children with GH deficiency (GHD) (2·9-6·8 years) and five short children born small for gestational age (SGA) (2·0-6·6 years). Patients with ACH/HCH received GH treatment for 1 year.
  
  
  
  Serum NT-proCNP levels and height were measured.
  
  
  
  NT-proCNP levels positively correlated with height velocity in these short children (P < 0·05, r = 0·27). NT-proCNP levels inversely correlated with age in children with ISS alone (P < 0·01, r = -0·55). Serum NT-proCNP levels in patients with ACH/HCH were increased 3 months following the initiation of GH treatment (P < 0·05). Height SDS gain during GH treatment for 1 year was positively correlated with the changes in NT-proCNP levels after the initiation of GH (P < 0·01, r = 0·72).
  
  
  
  Serum NT-proCNP levels may be a good biomarker to indicate the effect of GH treatment on growth in patients with ACH/HCH at least in the first year and height velocity in short stature patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Takuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kubota
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Kohji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miura
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakayama
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujiwara
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuhisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ohata
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Makiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tachibana
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Taichi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kitaoka
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takakuwa
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Miyoshi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Noriyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Namba
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Keiichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ozono
mesh_terms: D000130:Achondroplasia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001827:Body Height / Q000187:drug effects; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004392:Dwarfism / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D017880:Limb Deformities, Congenital / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008141:Lordosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D020098:Natriuretic Peptide, C-Type / Q000097:blood* / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C480579:amino-terminal pro-C-type natriuretic peptide, human; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D020098:Natriuretic Peptide, C-Type