Final Height of GH-Deficient Children Treated with GH

Abstract

The final heights of the patients treated with GH at our hospital were analysed. The mean final heights were 163.1±5.6 cm and 151.0±4.4 cm for boys and girls, respectively; 30% of the patients were shorter than -2SD. The mean final heights of the patients with gonadotropin deficiency (boys 165.8±5.4 cm; girls 154.3±3.3 cm) were greater than those of the patients without gonadotropin deficiency (boys 160.9±4.9 cm; girls 148.6±3.6 cm). The mean final height SDS of the patients with complete GH deficiency (maximum peak GH level at provocation tests ≤5 ng/ml) was significantly greater than that of the patients with partial GH deficiency (maximum peak GH >5 and ≤10 ng/ml) or non-endocrine short stature (maximum peak GH levels >10 ng/ml). When the subjects were restricted to those with complete GH deficiency and with gonadotropin deficiency, there was a significant negative correlation between final height SDS and age at the start of GH treatment.