GROWTH-HORMONE THERAPY IN PATIENTS WITH TURNER-SYNDROME

This article summarizes the published data on final height after growt h-promoting therapy in Turner syndrome. Using growth hormone (GH) dose s ranging between 0.5 and 1.2 IU/kg/week, final height after therapy i s improved by 1.5-9.3 cm [final height after therapy vs, projected adu lt height (PAH)] within various studies. There is no obvious GH dose-r esponse relationship, but a better estimated benefit from therapy seem s to result in those studies that combined even rather low GH doses wi th the anabolic steroid oxandrolone. It is not possible to retrospecti vely define an optimal treatment regime out of the various published d ata due to different GH doses, age and dosage of estrogen replacement therapy and the variable methods for calculating the benefit from ther apy. It seems to be essential to start estrogens at a safe bone age (> 13 years) in very low doses. Higher CH doses (up to 2.0 IU/kg/week) l ed to a better growth response during the first years of therapy but d ata on final height are still to be awaited.