Improved final height with long-term growth hormone treatment in Noonan syndrome

• Published in: Acta pædiatrica (Oslo) 2005-09, Vol.94 (9), p.1232-1237
• Main Authors: OSIO, Deborah, DAHLGREN, Jovanna, WIKLAND, Kerstin Albertsson, WESTPHAL, Otto
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Biological and medical sciences; Body Height - drug effects; Child; Child, Preschool; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Female; General aspects; Growth Hormone - therapeutic use; Humans; Infant; Male; Malformations and congenital and or hereditary diseases involving bones. Joint deformations; Medical sciences; Noonan Syndrome - drug therapy; Puberty - drug effects; Sweden; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0803-5253; 1651-2227
• DOI: 10.1080/08035250510031476

To assess whether children with Noonan syndrome on long-term growth hormone (GH) therapy improve their final height to near mid-parental height. Twenty-five prepubertal children (13 girls) with Noonan syndrome (NS) were studied. A single clinician made the diagnosis based on clinical criteria. GH treatment started at an age ranging from 3.1 to 13.8 y and was continued for at least 2 y. Improvement or "gain" in final height (FH) was defined as either the difference between adult height SD scores (SDS) and pre-treatment height SDS (the childhood component of the Swedish reference) or height SDS compared to the Noonan reference. Ten children received a GH dose of 33 microg/kg/d (mean age at start 7.7+/-2.1 y, mean age at stop 17.6+/-1.7 y) and 15 received a dose of 66 microg/kg/d (mean age at start 8.6+/-3.3 y, mean age at stop 18.4+/-2.1 y). Eighteen out of 25 patients reached FH. A substantial improvement in FH of 1.7 SDS, equivalent to 10.4 cm compared to pre-treatment height, was observed. No significant difference was seen between the two GH doses. Females gained a mean height of 9.8 cm and males 1-13 cm (FH 174.5+/-7.8 cm vs mean adult height of 162.5+/-5.4 cm for males with NS) at final height. Moreover, 60% reached a mid-parental height of+/-1 SD. GH treatment improves final height in patients with Noonan syndrome, with a mean gain of 1.7 SDS. The prepubertal height gain is maintained to final height and the children achieve a height close to their mid-parental height.