FINAL HEIGHT IN A LARGE COHORT OF DUTCH PATIENTS WITH GROWTH-HORMONE DEFICIENCY TREATED WITH GROWTH-HORMONE

Final height was evaluated in 203 patients with growth hormone (GH) de ficiency, who had been treated with GH in childhood, and was related t o other factors, Mean final height was 168.1 cm (men) and 154.7 cm (wo men), -2.07 and -2.20 SD of the population mean, respectively, Patient s with GH deficiency due to cerebral tumour were taller than those wit h idiopathic GH deficiency, and patients with induced puberty were tal ler than those with spontaneous puberty, Target height (r = +0.37), bi rth length (r = 0.36), height SDS at the start of therapy (r = +0.51) and at the start of puberty (r = +0.58) were significantly correlated with final height, Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that a fter correction for height at the start of puberty, age at the start o f puberty was also positively correlated with final height. Patients w ho were treated after 1983 (when treatment regimens were changed) were taller than patients who finished treatment before 1983, The results suggest the importance of preventing a large initial height deficit an d attaining optimal height at the start of puberty.