Growth hormone - Do we have a national perspective of indications for its use?

Objective: Presentation of indications for growth hormone use in children, from the view of physicians practising in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A questionnaire containing a list of common possible indications o f growth hormone use was collected from 52 physicians practising in Saudi A rabia who were attending a didactic endocrinology course. Results: All (100%) physicians considered growth hormone deficiency to be a n indication. Sixty four and 29% considered Turner's syndrome and chronic r enal failure to be indications. Other indications included Russell-Silver s yndrome in 23%. X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets in 10%, Achondroplasts in 10%, Sickle cell anemia in 10% and Bartter's syndrome in 2%. Genetic and c onstitutional short stature were considered in 17 and 19%. Only 65% did not advocate the use of growth hormone for short non-growth hormone-deficient children. Conclusion: Indications of growth therapy are not clearly defined in Saudi Arabia. It is indicated to define this by a clear, national decided criteri a which should take into consideration the internationally approved indicat ions, availability and cost of this hormone.