GROWRH HORMONE THERAPHY IN NON GH-DEFICIENT SHORT CHILDREN

Abstract

The growth response during Growth Hormone (GH) treatment was evaluated in a heterogeneous group of 1? prepubertal non GH-deficient short children. Diagnosis were: familial short stature (3), constitutional delay of growth associated with familial short stature (3), intrauterine growth retardation (3), sporadic primary microcephaly (3), and idiophatic short stature (5). Mean height (±SEM) was -2.98±0.08 SD, mean bone age was -2.84±0.27 years, end growth rate was 3.45±0.15cm/year. All children showed a normal GH response to standard pharmacologic stimulation tests. Biosynthetic GH was administered for 6-12 months at o dose of 7-14 IU/m2 b.s./week, 3 or 6 times weekly, i.m. or s.c. Mean growth rate increase was 2.50±0.31 cm/year, 12 children showing an increase >2 cm/year. Growth rate increase was not correlated with height, bone age or GH dose and was weekly correlated with pretreatment height velocity (r=-0.58, p<0.05); a lack of correlation was also demonstrated with mean nocturnal spontaneous GH concentration (arithmetical mean of GH levels in blood samples drawn every 30 min. from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.) and SmC levels. As suggested by several Authors, a diagnostic-therapeutic trial of GH therapy, with auxological monitoring may be the only means of identifying the non GH-deficient short children who will benefit from treatment.