GROWTH-HORMONE IS SAFE IN CHILDREN AFTER RENAL-TRANSPLANTATION

With the availability of an easily produced and safely administered fa rm of recombinant human growth hormone (GH), the clinical indications for its use have increased. Recent studies have shown that GH therapy is both safe and effective in the treatment of growth failure in child ren with chronic renal insufficiency, Similarly, GH has been used to t reat growth failure in children after renal transplantation, GH therap y increases growth in these patients, but in some of them increased or gan rejection or worsening of kidney function occurs. GH is a neuroend ocrine peptide that is important to somatic growth, but it has also be en shown to have pleiotropic effects on many cells and organ systems i ncluding the immune system. We have shown that GH in vitro augments th e responses during a mi red leukocyte culture in normal adult voluntee rs, GH also aug augments the responses to donor-specific alloantigens in some patients. We conclude that if in vitro assays such as these ca n successfully identify those patients who are at risk for organ rejec tion and worsening kidney function, then GH therapy is safe in childre n with growth failure after renal transplantation.