Therapy of growth deficiency with growth hormone. Developments 10 years after the introduction of recombinant growth hormone

Recombinant growth hormone (rGH) therapy in the treatment of children with short stature was introduced 10 years ago, and experience has shown that pr ogress in implementing this mode of therapy depends increasingly on analyse s of large pharmacoepidemiological studies. These studies prove that the di agnosis of growth hormone deficiency, whatever the cause or pathogenetic fo rm, is the most frequent indication for GH therapy. The remaining problems a re timely and precise diagnosis, and the best possible and individual the rapy aiming at the projected height and taking safety and costs into accoun t. We are closer to solving these problems today than ever before. Apart fr om this, the use of GH in treating short statu re in Turner syndrome and re nal insufficiency has led to its acceptance as a suitable therapy for these patients. Height improvement in a number of other growth disorders is, in certain cases, also possible through GH therapy. In the light of current ex perience,GH therapy can thus be attempted on a rational basis in individual cases. This form of treatment clearly holds wider possibilities and its im plementation is likely to go beyond short stature in the future.