title: Height Outcome of Recombinant Human Growth Hormone Treatment in Achondroplasia Children: A Meta-Analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) is not approved to treat short stature of achondroplasia (ACH), some studies suggested growth improvement during short-term rhGH treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  A meta-analysis of rhGH therapy efficacy in ACH children was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From 12 English-language studies, 558 (54.0% males) rhGH-treated ACH children were enrolled. Administration of rhGH (median dosage 0.21 mg/kg/ week; range 0.16-0.42 mg/kg/week) improved height (Ht) from baseline [-5.069 standard deviation score (SDS; 95% CI -5.109 to -5.029); p < 0.0001] to 12 [-4.325 SDS (95% CI -4.363 to -4.287); p < 0.0001] and 24 months [-4.073 SDS (95% CI -4.128 to -4.019); p < 0.0001]. Then, Ht remained approximately constant up to 5 years [-3.941 SDS (95% CI -4.671 to -3.212); p < 0.0001].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In ACH children, rhGH treatment increased Ht from -5.0 to -4.0 SDS during 5 years, but insufficient data are available on both the adult Ht and the changes of body proportions.
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology Unit, Department of Experimental Pathology M.B.I.E., University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miccoli
authors.forename: Silvano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bertelloni
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Massart
mesh_terms: D000130:Achondroplasia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001827:Body Height / Q000187:drug effects*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D019382:Human Growth Hormone