Treatment of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis with growth hormone

Severe growth retardation and profoundly altered body composition are obser ved in children with juvenile chronic arthritis receiving glucocorticoids. This study assessed the effects of growth hormone (GH) on height velocity, body composition and bone density. Fourteen patients were treated with GH ( 1.4 U/kg/week) for 1 year and then studied for a 2nd year off GH. The treat ment increased insulin-like growth factor 1 and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 plasma levels. All patients showed an increase in height velocity. Lean body mass increased by 12%. After the cessation of GH therap y, height velocity fell to pretreatment values, and weight and fat mass inc reased markedly. Bone formation and resorption markers significantly increa sed during treatment and returned to pretreatment values after discontinuat ion of GH treatment. These results suggest that GH may partially counteract the adverse effects of glucocorticoids on growth and metabolism in patient s with chronic inflammatory disease. Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel .