Effectiveness of recombinant growth hormone in height deficiency due to intrauterine growth retardation

BACKGROUND: Intrauterine growth reatardation (IUGR) is considered to be res ponsible for approximately 20% of short stature in adulthood. Although GH s ecretion is normal in the majority of cases, excellent results have been pu blished by some authors using GH to treat children with height deficiency d ue to IUGR. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty children with a history of IUGR with chronolog ical ages between 2 and 7 years and height less than 2 SD were randomized i n two groups for one year: al control group, no treatment, 14 cases, and b) treatment group, 1 U/kg/week of recombinant GH, 16 cases. Growth and matur ation were analysed periodically in both groups. In addition, serum levels of GH, IGF-I, IGFBP3 and GHBP were measured before and under treatment and adverse events were assessed in treatment group. RESULTS: In the treated group significant increments in growth rate, cm/yea r (median = 6.91 vs 9.94), improvement in height SDS (median = -2.19 vs -1. 63) and positivation of growth rate (median = -0.13 vs 3.17) were observed compared with the control group. Bone age evolved parallelly to chronologic al age and the height age/bone age ratio increased throughout the study und er GH therapy. Hormonal findings in the treated group showed a significant increase in IGF-I and IGFBP3 values. Glycaemia levels increased without exc eeding upper normal levels in the treated group. CONCLUSION: GH was effective in promoting growth in this short-term study i n children with height deficiency due to IUGR. Close follow-up is required to detect any adverse event, particularly those related to carbohydrate met abolism.