Long-term side effects of growth hormone treatment in children with Prader–Willi syndrome

Abstract

The main motivations of growth hormone (GH) treatment of Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS) are the stimulation of growth and lean muscle mass. Furthermore GH therapy in Prader–Willi children seems to favorably affect their behavior and mental performances. It is still a matter of discussion whether GH therapy in PWS should be considered responsible for specific adverse events. The most significant of them are scoliosis and breathing disorders, the latter considered being responsible for some deaths, reported in children with PWS, mainly at the beginning of GH therapy. Obstructive sleep apnea was occasionally reported also in patients treated with GH for several years. The review reports and discusses the latest data related to side effects of long-term GH treatment in children with PWS.