Growth Hormone Treatment in Children Born Small for Gestational Age—Adult Height and Metabolic Consequences

Abstract

Short-term studies of children born small for gestational age (SGA) who do not adequately catch up have shown that growth hormone (GH) treatment over a range of doses is both safe and effective at increasing growth velocity and height standard deviation (SD). Long-term studies have shown an improvement in adult height compared with untreated controls. Predictors of growth response include height and weight at start of GH treatment, pre-treatment growth velocity, target height, and pre-pubertal years treated with GH. Height prediction models are being developed to help maximize GH treatment response. While some short-term studies of GH treatment in SGA children have shown abnormalities in carbohydrate metabolism, long-term studies have demonstrated that these changes were transient. GH treatment has been shown to be safe and effective in increasing adult height of children born SGA. Follow-up is needed for assessment of the long-term effects of GH treatment.