Significant Differences In Growth Velocity Research Articles

Effect of an exclusive human milk diet on feeding tolerance in preterm infants

To compare the time to full enteral feeds in preterm infants fed exclusive human milk (EHM) - mother's own milk (MOM) fortified with human milk-based fortifier (HMBF), to those who received partial human milk (PHM) - MOM fortified with bovine milk-based fortifier (BMBF), and exclusive formula. A single-center retrospective study of infants with birth weight <1250 g from 2013 to 2018. Data on feeding, growth and other short-term neonatal morbidities were collected. On regression analysis, time to full enteral feeds was significantly higher in PHM compared to EHM group (β-coefficient 4.14, 95% CI 0.00-8.29) and formula-fed group compared to EHM (β-coefficient 4.3, 95% CI 0.32-8.20). No significant differences in growth velocity, length of stay and other morbidities were found between the groups. Infants in EHM had better feeding tolerance and reached their enteral feed goals sooner compared to PHM and formula-fed groups.

Growth patterns and breast milk/infant formula energetic efficiency in healthy infants up to 18 months of life: the COGNIS study

Type of feeding during early life influences growth trajectory and metabolic risk at later stage of life. Modifications in infant formulas composition have led to evaluation of their effects on growth and energetic efficiency (EE) compared to breastfeeding. Aim: To analyse type of feeding potential effects during first months of life, plus its EE, on growth patterns in healthy formula fed [standard (SF) vs. enriched (EF)] and breastfed infants (BF) participating in the COGNIS RCT up to 18 months of age. Methods: Infants follow-up to 18 months of age (n=141) fed with a SF (n=48), a bioactive nutrients-enriched infant formula (EF, n=56), or BF (n=37), were assessed for growth parameters using WHO standards. Growth velocity and catch-up were calculated to identify growth patterns. EE of breast milk/infant formula was also estimated. Results: Infants' growth at 6 months showed higher length and lower HC gains in SF and EF infants than BF infants. Both Weight-for-length and Weight-for-age catch-up growth, showed significant differences in formula fed groups compared to BF. No significant differences in growth velocity or catch-up were found at 6-12 and 12-18 months. Regarding EE, infant formula groups showed significantly lower weight and length gains/gram of milk-protein, and higher weight and length gains/gram of milk-lipids, than BF infants. Conclusion: Growth velocity during first 6 months, which may be influenced by feeding, seems to be the main predictor of subsequent growth trajectory. Breastfeeding may have positive effects on growth programming due to the EE of its nutrients.

Effectiveness of growth hormone therapy in children with Noonan syndrome.

PurposeRecombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) has been used to improve growth in children with Noonan syndrome (NS). This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of rhGH therapy in Korean children with NS.MethodsSeventeen prepubertal children (10 boys, 7 girls) with NS who received rhGH therapy for at least 3 years between 2008 and 2017 were included. To compare the response, age- and sex-matched children with GH deficiency (GHD; n=31) were included. Height and growth velocity before and during treatment were analyzed.ResultsThe mean age of NS patients was 6.34±2.32 years. After treatment, the height standard deviation score (SDS) increased from -2.93±0.81 to -1.51±1.00 in patients with NS and from -2.45±0.42 to -1.09±0.47 in patients with GHD. There were no significant differences in growth velocity or change in height SDS between patients with NS and GHD. Growth velocity in the first year of treatment was higher in patients with PTPN11 mutations than those without PTPN11 mutations, but the change in height SDS was not significantly different between those 2 groups.ConclusionsrhGH therapy can increase linear growth in prepubertal children with NS. The growth response between patients with NS and patients with GHD was not significantly different. Furthermore, we observed that lower doses of growth hormone have a similar effect on height compared to previous studies in patients with NS. Our study indicates that rhGH treatment is useful for growth promotion.

Effect of -202 A/C IGFBP-3 polymorphisms on growth responses in children with idiopathic short stature.

PurposeThis study evaluated the -202 A/C insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3) promoter polymorphism as a predictor of serum IGFBP-3 concentration and growth velocity after recombinant growth hormone (rhGH) therapy in patients with idiopathic short stature (ISS).MethodsGenotyping and serial measurement of clinical parameters were performed in 69 children with a confirmed diagnosis of ISS. Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis was performed to determine the genotype at the -202 IGFBP-3 locus. Serum insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and IGFBP-3 levels were measured at baseline and after 1 year of rhGH treatment, as were height standard deviation score and growth velocity.ResultsThe -202 A/C IGFBP-3 genotype comprised 69.6% AA, 24.6% AC, and 5.8% CC. One year of treatment did not produce a meaningful difference in IGF-1 or IGFBP-3 levels between children in the AA group and those with at least one copy of the C allele (AC/CC group). Comparing the 2 groups after one year also revealed no significant difference in growth velocity (ΔHeight: 9.061±1.612 cm/yr in the AA group, 9.421±1.864 in the AC/CC group, P=0.419).ConclusionsrhGH treatment was effective and there were no significant differences in IGF-1, IGFBP-3, or growth velocity according to genotype. Thus, -202 IGFBP-3 genotype may not be a major factor affecting individual growth responses in Korean children with ISS.

Analysis of the influencing factors of recombinant human growth hormone effect in the children with Turner syndrome

Objective: To analyze the clinical data, karyotype, growth hormone receptor (GHR) exon 3 polymorphism, etc. in Turner syndrome before and after recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) treatment, and thereby to understand the related factors influencing the rhGH curative effect in children with Turner syndrome. Methods: This was a retrospective study of 31 cases with Turner syndrome who were treated with growth hormone for more than 1 year in the pediatric outpatient department of Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology from January 2010 to January 2017. The GHR Exon3 polymorphism was detected by PCR assay, Turner syndrome children were divided according to GHR exon3 genotype for homozygous for the full-length GHR isoform (fl/fl-GHR)and carriers of one or two copies of the GHR exon3 allele(fl/d3-GHR;d3/d3-GHR).According to the karyotype, the children were divided into 45,X karyotype group and other karyotype group. The height standard deviation (Ht-SDS) and growth velocity (GV) as indicators to measure rhGH treatment efficacy, the data were analyzed by the SPSS12.0 software (t test, one-way ANOVA and multiple linear regression analysis). Results: (1) The mean age at diagnosis of 31 cases was (12.2±2.9) years, the bone age was (8.9±2.4) years, the height was (126.2±10.5) cm and the Ht-SDS was (-3.5±1.3) SDS. The karyotype was 45,X in 14 patients, 17 cases had other karyotypes. Thirteen cases were of (fl/fl-GHR) (42%), 14 cases of fl/d3-GHR (45%) and 4 cases of d3/d3-GHR(13%).Among the 31 cases, the main reason for 5 patients' hospitalization was no secondary sexual characteristics, another 26 cases had short stature (accounting for 81%).(2) After Growth hormone treatment, growth rate (cm/year)(7.3±1.4, 7.0±3.0, 7.0±1.3) and Ht-SDS (-2.8±1.2, -2.5±0.9, -2.2±0.8) were significantly higher than the pre-treatment levels (2.9±0.9, -3.5±1.3), the difference was statistically significant (F=54.12, 4.43, P<0.05) ; the third year Ht-SDS(-2.2±0.8)higher than the first year Ht-SDS(-2.8±1.2), the difference was statistically significant (t=-2.3, P<0.05) .(3)Before rhGH treatment, the height of 45,X karyotype group was significantly lower than that of other karyotypes ((122.1±9.1) cm vs. (129.9±10.3) cm, t=-2.2, P<0.05)). Before and after rhGH treatment, there was no significant difference in growth rate (cm/year) and Ht-SDS, between 45, X karyotype group and other karyotype group, but with the prolongation of treatment time, the Ht-SDS of other karyotype groups had an improvement trend compared with the 45,X karyotype groups. (4) After short-term and long-term treatment with rhGH, there were no significant differences in GV, Ht-SDS between patients with different genotypes (P>0.05). (5) Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that ΔHt-SDS was negatively correlated with the age at initial treatment(partial regression coefficient=-0.098, P <0.05), and positively correlated with GV before treatment(partial regression coefficient=0.202, P<0.05). Conclusions: In Turner's syndrome children, the earlier the rhGH treatment started, the faster the growth rate before treatment and the longer treatment duration, the better effect of rhGH treatment was obtained. Before rhGH treatment, the height of 45,X karyotype group was significantly lower than that of other karyotypes. Before and after rhGH treatment, there was no significant difference in growth rate (cm/year) and Ht-SDS, but with the prolongation of treatment time, the Ht-SDS of other karyotype groups had an improvement trend compared with the 45,X karyotype groups. GHR exon 3 polymorphism did not significantly affect the efficacy of rhGH in Turner syndrome children, but large-scale long-term studies are still needed.

Growth patterns of survivors of retinoblastoma treated with ophthalmic artery chemosurgery.

Although studies from pediatric cancers (largely acute lymphoblastic leukemia) have shown that patients undergoing systemic chemotherapy may experience decreased growth velocity during the treatment phase, no such data exist for retinoblastoma patients treated with systemic chemotherapy or ophthalmic artery chemosurgery (OAC). The purpose of this study is to report growth patterns of our retinoblastoma (Rb) population who were treated with OAC in a retrospective, single center (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center) review of 341 patients treated between 2006 and 2016. Children who only received OAC were classified as naive; those who were treated initially with systemic chemotherapy and subsequently presented to our center for OAC were termed secondary; and a small group of patients who received single-agent systemic chemotherapy prior to OAC were labeled bridge. For all patients, height and weight were recorded at monthly intervals during OAC (short-term) and then annually during a follow-up period (long-term) up to 3 years after treatment. Excluded from this study were children who received external radiation therapy and those with genetic syndromes, which are independently associated with growth derangements. During OAC, there was no significant difference in growth velocity between the naïve and secondary groups. In either group, number of treatments also did not affect growth rate. Three years after the end of OAC, naïve patients were in the 68th percentile by height (95% CI 61.30, 74.63) compared to secondary patients in the 61st percentile (95% CI 51.1, 71.47). Both groups were in the same weight percentiles during the first two years of follow-up but at the three-year follow-up period, naïve patients were in the 63rd percentile (95% CI 57.4, 69.4) and secondary patients were in the 60th percentile (95% CI 50.4, 69.7). OAC for retinoblastoma does not appear to impact short-term growth velocity, weight gain during the treatment period or after three years.

Tumour growth rate of follicular thyroid carcinoma is not different from that of follicular adenoma.

Distinguishing malignancy from benign thyroid nodule has always been challenging, especially in follicular lesions. Thyroid nodules with small size and indeterminate cytology do not lead to immediate surgery. We tried to evaluate whether tumour size and tumour growth rate can distinguish follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) from follicular adenoma (FA). This retrospective study included patients with pathologically proven FTCs (n=50) and FAs (n=110) who underwent preoperative serial neck ultrasonography (US) at least 3 times: it comprises 30% of all follicular tumours (32% FAs and 25% FTCs). The growth rates of follicular tumours on serial US were measured using at least 3 consecutive examinations during a median follow-up of 4.1years (range, 0.7-13.3years) by experienced radiologists. The FA and FTC groups showed no significant difference in clinicopathological characteristics, including age, proportion of large nodules (>4cm) and preoperative cytology. The maximum diameter of thyroid nodule was gradually increased in both groups with statistical significance (P<.001 and P<.001, respectively). No significant differences in change of maximum diameter of thyroid nodule (P=.132) and tumour volume (P=.208) were found between the FA and FTC groups during the follow-up. The median time to a significant tumour growth from baseline was not different between the FA and FTC groups (1.4years and 1.7years, respectively, P=.556). When we divided the patients into four groups (rapid, moderate, slow and no growth) according to the growth velocity of the thyroid tumours, no significant difference in growth velocity was found among the groups. The tumour size and growth rate of the thyroid nodule itself could not predict malignancy. Diagnostic approaches that use molecular markers would be more important than clinical features for the decision of diagnostic surgery for patients with follicular tumours.

Solidification behavior of Co-Sn eutectic alloy with Nb addition

(Co76Sn24)100-xNbx (x = 0, 0.5, 0.8, 1.0) eutectic alloy melts were solidified at small undercooling for investigating the effect of Nb addition on microstructural development. With increasing Nb content, the solidification interface transits from eutectic seaweed (x = 0) to eutectic dendrite (x = 0.5) as a response to the change in the anisotropy of interfacial energy. Coupled eutectic growth can no longer be maintained within the main stems at x = 0.8 because the enrichment of Nb in the liquid ahead of the interface causes a significant difference in growth velocity between the α-Co and β-Co3Sn2 phases and, as such, Co3Sn2 doublons form. For x = 1.0, the difference in growth kinetics between the two eutectic phases is so large that divorced eutectic growth takes place on a large scale. Letting the undercooling prior to solidification increase, the eutectic interface morphology of (Co76Sn24)99.5Nb0.5 eutectic alloys returns from dendritic pattern back to factual seaweed pattern at more than 38 K undercooling and then transits to compact seaweed pattern at more than 181 K undercooling. The eutectic growth velocity slightly increases at low and intermediate undercooling but obviously decreases at large undercooling due with Nb addition.

Common Polymorphisms of the Growth Hormone (GH) Receptor Do Not Correlate with the Growth Response to Exogenous Recombinant Human GH in GH-Deficient Children

GH acts through the GH receptor (GHR), whose polymorphisms might affect the growth response to recombinant human GH (rhGH). The objective of this study was to investigate possible influences of GHR polymorphisms on the growth response to rhGH in GH-deficient (GHD) children. This was a 2-yr study (first year, spontaneous growth; second year, growth during rhGH treatment). This study was performed at a referral center. Fifty-four prepubertal GHD children (11 females; mean age, 7.8 yr; sd, 3.96) were studied. Patients were treated with rhGH (0.2 mg/kg.wk) for at least 1 yr after diagnosis. Growth velocity (GV) was measured 1 yr before treatment and during the first treatment year. GHR exons were amplified by PCR using pairs of intronic primers. The presence of single or multiple mismatches in the PCR products was revealed by denaturing high-pressure liquid chromatography. For exons in which mismatches were found by denaturing high-pressure liquid chromatography, direct sequencing was performed by automatic sequencer. Before the start of treatment, the mean height (Ht) sd score was -1.93 (sd, 0.70), and the mean GV sd score was -1.49 (sd, 1.26). The posttreatment (first 12 months) mean GV sd score was 3.55 (sd, 3.27). Molecular analysis revealed a high frequency of GHR polymorphisms; in particular: exon 3 deletion (Del 3) in 26 subjects (48%), polymorphism 504 A>G at codon 168 of exon 6 in 44 (82%), and polymorphism 1576 A>C at codon 526 of exon 10 in 35 (65%). In most patients, these different polymorphisms recurred in association. We found no significant differences in GV between the groups of subjects defined by the polymorphic genotypes. The most common GHR polymorphisms, alone or in association, do not appear to affect the growth response to rhGH in GHD children.

Short-term and long-term safety of budesonide inhalation suspension in infants and young children with persistent asthma

This article reviews the short-term and long-term safety profile of budesonide inhalation suspension (BIS) for nebulization in infants and young children with persistent asthma. Short-term safety (12 weeks) was assessed by pooling the results from the 3 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter studies (studies A, B, and C) on the efficacy and safety of once- and twice-daily BIS. Long-term safety of BIS and conventional asthma therapy (CAT) was assessed in 52-week extension studies of the 12-week double-blind trials. CAT consisted of any available therapy for asthma; in 2 studies, CAT could have included treatment with inhaled glucocorticosteroids. Safety was assessed by monitoring adverse events (AEs), physical examinations, and basal and ACTH-stimulated plasma cortisol levels (in a subset of subjects). In the 52-week open-label extensions, the effects of BIS on growth velocity and skeletal age also were determined. In the 12-week studies, a total of 1017 subjects was evaluated for safety; totals of 231, 185, 229, 327, and 45 subjects were randomized to receive placebo or BIS at total daily doses of 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1.0 mg, and 2.0 mg, respectively. Subject demographics and baseline asthma characteristics were similar across treatment groups, except that age, weight, height, and duration of asthma appeared higher in the 2.0-mg daily dose group. For BIS groups, mean age was 58.9 months; mean weight was 20.3 kg; mean height was 108.9 cm, and mean duration of asthma was 3.2 years. There were no differences in the incidence, severity, or types of AEs reported among the BIS and placebo groups. There were no significant differences between placebo and BIS treatment groups in basal or ACTH-stimulated cortisol levels, physical examinations, clinical laboratory values, or fungal cultures. A total of 670 subjects completed the 52-week extension studies; 223 subjects received CAT and 447 received BIS. Median total daily doses of BIS ranged from 0.50 mg to 1.0 mg in the 3 studies, and the mean duration of treatment exposure was 304 ± 119 days and 342 ± 83 days in CAT and BIS groups, respectively. During the 52-week treatment period, the incidences of reported AEs were comparable between treatment groups and were mild-to-moderate in intensity; no new AEs occurred during the 52-week studies compared with 12-week studies. No significant differences were observed between BIS and CAT in basal or ACTH-stimulated cortisol levels, physical examinations, clinical laboratory values, or fungal cultures. There was a small but statistically significant reduction in growth velocity (a difference of 0.8 cm) in the BIS-treated group compared with the CAT group in study A. In studies B and C, growth velocity was not different between BIS and CAT groups. In pooled analyses, no statistically significant differences in growth velocity, standard median heights, or skeletal age were observed between BIS and CAT groups. Short-term and long-term treatment with BIS, over a wide range of doses, was well tolerated for the treatment of persistent asthma in infants and young children. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 1999;104:S200-9)

Controlled Study of Linear Growth in Asthmatic Children During Treatment With Inhaled Glucocorticosteroids

Linear growth was investigated with weekly knemometry in a population of 43 schoolchildren with mild asthma treated with inhaled budesonide. The design was a randomized, double-blind, parallel group study with three dose groups of 200, 400, and 800 micrograms of budesonide per day. Each dose group received budesonide for 8 consecutive weeks. Placebo was given for either 4 weeks before or after budesonide treatment. Twelve children in the 200-micrograms group, 14 in the 400-micrograms group, and 12 in the 800-micrograms group completed the 12-week study period. There was no significant difference in mean growth velocity among the three dose groups during placebo treatment. Compared with placebo (growth velocity: 0.39 mm/wk), mean lower leg growth velocity was reduced with 0.26 mm/wk (P less than .001, t = 5.0, df = 11; 95% confidence interval 0.14 to 0.37 mm/wk) in children treated with 800 micrograms of budesonide. There was no statistically significant difference in growth velocity between 200- or 400-micrograms budesonide treatments and placebo. These data indicate that inhaled budesonide can be safely used in doses up to 400 micrograms/d in schoolchildren with asthma.

Thyroid Hormone Replacement and Growth of Children with Subclinical Hypothyroidism and Diabetes

Growth potential among people with Type 1 diabetes and subclinical hypothyroidism may be significantly reduced. Growth was evaluated in 25 children with diabetes who had thyromegaly and elevated thyrotrophin (TSH) levels. All patients appeared clinically euthyroid except for four with short stature. Basal growth rate was significantly lower (p less than 0.005) in Group 1 (TSH greater than 50 mU l-1) and Group 2 (TSH level 10.1-50 mU l-1) than in patients with TSH levels between 5 and 10 mU l-1 (Group 3) or control diabetic children. Serum thyroxine (T4) levels were significantly lower (p less than 0.05) in Group 1 than in Groups 2 or 3. Significant improvement in growth velocity after thyroxine treatment was observed in Group 1 patients compared with those in Groups 2 or 3 (p less than 0.05). More prepubertal test children demonstrated improved growth after beginning thyroxine compared with matched diabetic controls (p less than 0.02). Postpubertal subjects treated with thyroxine did not show significant differences in growth velocity compared with controls. Z-scores for height were not different (p greater than 0.05; ANOVA) between control and test patients for any of the groups. Early detection of subclinical hypothyroidism by thyromegaly, reduced growth velocity, and elevated TSH levels, with institution of thyroxine treatment, can improve growth in prepubertal diabetic children.

Effect of Chronic Clonidine Treatment on Urinary Growth Hormone Excretion and Linear Growth in Children with Short Stature

Eleven prepubertal children with short stature were treated with clonidine (0.15 mg/m2 daily) for a period of 1 year. The effect of this drug was evaluated on both clinical (growth velocity, height standard deviation scores for chronological age and bone age) and hormonal (urinary growth hormone excretion and insulin-like growth factor I) parameters. Our study shows that long-term clonidine administration in children with short stature did not result in significant differences in growth velocity, height standard deviation scores for chronological age and bone age, insulin-like growth factor I or in urinary growth hormone excretion.