RECOMBINANT HUMAN GROWTH-HORMONE IN SHORT CHILDREN BORN SMALL-FOR-GESTATIONAL-AGE

The effects of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) treatment in 69 prepubertal, non-GH deficient children born small for gestational age (SGA) were evaluated over 2 years. At start of the study mean age was 5.1 years, mean bone age was 3.8 years and mean height SDS was -4.0. The children were randomly allocated to 3 groups receiving no treatmen t or daily subcutaneous injections of rhGH at a dose of 0.1 IU/kg body weight (group 0.1 IU) or 0.2 IU/kg body weight (group 0.2 IU), At sta rt of the study mean height velocity SDS was -1.4 in the control group , -0.7 in group 0.1 IU and -1.4 in group 0.2 IU, After 2 years there w as a significant increase in height velocity SDS in children treated w ith rhGH as compared to untreated children. Mean height velocity SDS a fter the first year of treatment was -1.2 in the control group, 2.8 in group 0.1 IU and 5.5 in group 0.2 IU. Corresponding values during the second year were -0.9, 1.6 and 2.9. A statistically significant diffe rence was observed between the groups receiving 0.1 IU/kg/day and 0.2 IU/kg/day during the first year of treatment, whereas no difference be tween the treatment groups was found during the second year. Catch-up growth, i.e. a height velocity 1 SD above the mean, was achieved for 8 6% of group 0.1 IU and 95% of group 0.2 IU during the first year of tr eatment and was maintained for 65% and 79% of the patients in group 0. 1 IU and 0.2 IU respectively in the second year. GH treatment was asso ciated with a distinct acceleration of bone age. Tolerance of treatmen t was good, No clear trends were seen in any of the laboratory variabl es, In conclusion, this study shows that daily rhGH given ata dose of 0.1-0.2 IU/kg/day for 24 months is an effective and safe therapy to in crease linear growth and induce catch-up growth in short SGA children.