EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF GROWTH-HORMONE TREATMENT IN CHILDREN WITH PRIOR CRANIOPHARYNGIOMA - AN ANALYSIS OF THE PHARMACIA-AND-UPJOHN-INTERNATIONAL-GROWTH-DATABASE (KIGS) FROM 1988 TO 1996

We studied short-and long-term responses to growth hormone (GH) treatm ent and adverse medical events (AE) in 488 patients with craniopharyng ioma who were entered into the Kabi International Growth Study (KIGS). First-year growth response and responsiveness (n = 394) were similar to those seen in children with idiopathic GH deficiency. The growth re sponse over 5 years (n = 152) was unaffected by the recurrence of tumo ur and prior tumour management, but was greater in those receiving thy roxine. Mean height standard deviation scores (SDS) at the end of GH t reatment (n = 129) was -0.7 +/- 1.2, and 79% achieved a height over -2 SD of target height, with evidence of further growth potential. Final height SDS correlated positively with height SDS at the start of trea tment and with target height SDS, whereas gain in height SDS was inver sely correlated with height SDS and bone age at the start of GH treatm ent. The rate of recurrence of tumour, 0.045/treatment year, was great er in those who had been treated with surgery alone compared to surger y and cranial irradiation. Other AE included headaches, fluid retentio n and convulsions occurring at rates of 0.025, 0.005 and 0.004/treatme nt year, respectively. We concluded that GH treatment is safe and effe ctive in children with craniopharyngioma and provide data for counsell ing of parents about outcome during GH treatment.