A stepwise increase in recombinant human growth hormone dosing during puberty achieves improved pubertal growth: a National Cooperative Growth Study report.

Publication/Presentation Date

7-1-2009

Abstract

UNLABELLED: The magnitude of the pubertal growth spurt contributes to adult height. Children treated with increased doses of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) during puberty have shown improved near adult height (NAH) outcomes that varied by treatment duration.

METHODS: Males, in a single clinic, treated with a prepubertal dose of rhGH (0.3 mg/kg/wk) received 0.1 mg/kg/wk dose increases with successive Tanner stages up to 0.6 mg/kg/wk. Changes in height and height SDS from pubertal onset to NAH were assessed in patients attaining NAH after > or =3 years (n = 23) and > or =4 years (n = 16). Using ANCOVA, outcomes were compared to closely matched patients (n = 758) from the National Cooperative Growth Study treated with a fixed dose (0.3 mg/kg/wk) throughout puberty.

RESULTS: Compared to matched patients, a 3.6 cm greater increase in mean height gain and a 0.49 greater increase in mean height SDS (por =3 years. Corresponding values were 3.9 cm and 0.54 (por =4 years.

CONCLUSION: Stepwise increases in rhGH improved pubertal height gain when compared to a fixed dose and may represent an alternate approach to managing the patient during puberty.

Volume

22

Issue

7

First Page

623

Last Page

628

ISSN

0334-018X

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences | Pediatrics

PubMedID

19774843

Department(s)

Department of Pediatrics

Document Type

Article

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