Growth over 10 years following a 1-year trial of growth hormone therapy

• Published in: Pediatric nephrology (Berlin, West) West), 2000-04, Vol.14 (4), p.309-314
• Main Authors: REES, L, WARD, G, RIGDEN, S. P. A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Age; Biological and medical sciences; Body Height - drug effects; Child; Child, Preschool; Drug Administration Schedule; Endocrine therapy; Female; Growth Disorders - drug therapy; Growth Disorders - etiology; Growth hormones; Hemodialysis; Hepatitis; Human Growth Hormone - administration & dosage; Human Growth Hormone - therapeutic use; Humans; Kidney Failure, Chronic - complications; Kidney Transplantation; Kidney transplants; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Medical sciences; Nephrology. Urinary tract diseases; Nephropathies. Renovascular diseases. Renal failure; Patients; Peritoneal dialysis; Postoperative Complications; Recombinant Proteins - administration & dosage; Recombinant Proteins - therapeutic use; Renal failure
• ISSN: 0931-041X; 1432-198X
• DOI: 10.1007/s004670050765

The growth of short children with chronic renal failure (CRF) and renal transplants was assessed over 10 years following entry into a 1-year trial of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) therapy. Patients were divided into three groups: 6 prepubertal patients with CRF (group 1), mean (range) age at start of trial 7.7 (5.0-10.4) years; 6 prepubertal patients with renal transplants (group 2), age 11.9 (9.5-14.6) years; and 6 pubertal patients with renal transplants (group 3), age 15.6 (14.1-18.3) years. In group 1, the mean (range) height standard deviation score (Ht SDS) increased from -2.9 (-3.7 to -2.2) to -1.9 (-2.9 to -0.5) over 4.0 (0.3-9.1) years of rhGH (P=0.04), and was -1.6 (-2.9 to -0.4) after 10 years of follow-up (NS). In group 2 Ht SDS increased from -3.3 (-4.5 to -1.9) to -2.9 (-5.4 to -0.5) over 2.7 (1.0-6.0) years and was -3.0 (-6.3 to -0.1) at final height (NS). In group 3 Ht SDS increased from -3.4 (-4.3 to -2.6) to -3.0 (-3.4 to -2.2) over 1.4 (0.2-2.3) years (NS) and was -2.5 (-3.0 to -1.9) at final height (P=0.03 from stopping rhGH to final height). Final height was attained in 13 patients, in whom Ht SDS increased from -3.2 (-4.3 to -1.9) to -2.6 (-3.9 to -0.5) on rhGH (P=0.004) and to -2.2 (-4.4 to -0.1) after stopping treatment (P=0.04). Four patients died, 2 have chronic hepatitis C, and 1 has had surgery for parathyroid adenomata. In conclusion, the majority of patients had an improvement in Ht SDS while on rhGH, which was maintained after stopping treatment.