Growth hormone treatment in short stature of unknown origin
Wit, J.M.
Tijdschrift Voor Kindergeneeskunde 60(5): 164-172
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0376-7442 PMID: 1448806 Document Number: 395536
Most children with idiopathic short stature can be classified under the diagnoses familial short stature and constitutional delay of growth and adolescence. Administration of growth hormone leads to faster growth, but also faster bone maturation. Daily injections are more efficacious than three injections per week. There is a dose-response relationship. In a Dutch prospective study, the acceleration of growth was only slightly more than bone age advance, so that the average predicted adult height increased only by 3 cm over a period of 4-5 year. In an untreated control group final height was 1 cm lower than predicted. There were great inter-individual differences in terms of growth and bone maturation, which could not be predicted on the basis of clinical and biochemical variables.