Abstract
The effects of recombinant human growth hormone treatment during the early postnatal period on growth, body composition and energy expenditure were studied in seven intrauterine growth-retarded newborns. Seven infants were studied as controls. No differences were seen in bodyweight or height gain (15.9 +/- 1.5 g/kg per day and 1.02 +/- 0.24 cm/week in the treated and 16.3 +/- 1.4 g/kg per day and 1.11 +/- 0.30 cm/week in the control group). Skinfold growth rate was 0.52 +/- 0.20 mm/week in the treated vs. 0.56 +/- 0.28 mm/week in the control group. Total body water (as a percentage of bodyweight, 80 +/- 3.0% vs. 80 +/- 4.0%) and energy expenditure (67.5 +/- 7.4 vs. 66.7 +/- 6.4kcal/kg per day) using 2H2 18O showed identical results in both groups. We conclude that the recombinant human growth hormone treatment directly after birth in intrauterine growth-retarded newborn infants results neither in an increase in growth rate nor a change in body composition or energy expenditure during the early postnatal period.
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