Growth hormone treatment of short children born small-for-gestational-age: the Nordic Multicentre Trial

The aims of this study were to evaluate the efficacy and safety of different doses of growth hormone (GH) treatment in prepubertal short children born small-for-gestational-age (SGA). Forty-eight children born SGA from Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Norway were randomly allocated to three groups: a control group of 12 children received no treatment for 2 y, one group was treated with GH at 0.1 IU/kg/d (n = 16), and one group was treated with GH at 0.2 IU/kg/d (n = 20). In total 42 children completed 2 y of follow-up, and 24 children from the treated groups completed 3 y of treatment. Their mean (SD) age at the start of the study was 4.69 (1.61) y and their mean (SD) height was -3.16 (0.70) standard deviation scores (SDS). The children remained prepubertal during the course of the study. No catch-up growth was observed in the untreated group, but a clear dose-dependent growth response was found in the treated children. After the third year of treatment, the group receiving the higher dose of GH, achieved their target height. The major determinants of the growth response were the dose of GH used, the age at the start of treatment (the younger the child, the better the growth response) and the family-corrected individual height deficit (the higher the deficit, the better the growth response). Concentration of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and IGF-binding protein-3 increased during treatment. An increase in insulin levels was found without negative effects on fasting glucose levels or glycosylated haemoglobin levels. GH treatment was well tolerated. In conclusion, short prepubertal children born SGA show a dose-dependent growth response to GH therapy, and their target height SDS can be achieved within 3 y of treatment given GH at 0.2 IU/kg/d. However, the long-term benefit of different regimens of GH treatment in children born SGA remains to be established.     

Effects of growth hormone therapy in prepubertal children with short stature secondary to intrauterine growth retardation

A total of 130 short children were included in a French multicentre study and randomized between a control group (group A) and two groups treated with daily subcutaneous injections of GH at doses of 0.7 IU/kg/week (group B) and 1.4 IU/kg/week (group C) for 2 years. Height velocity was significantly increased ( p <0.0005) in groups B and C, with a greater increase in group C than in group B ( p < 0.001). The benefit after 2 years compared with controls was 4.3 cm in group B and 5.9 cm in group C. The rate of bone maturation was not affected by GH therapy. These results led to the conclusion that 2 years of treatment with GH improves final height prognosis in children with short stature secondary to IUGR, and that this effect is dose dependent. The effect on final height has still to be demonstrated.     

基因重组生长激素治疗青春期前特发性矮小疗效观察

目的探讨基因重组人生长激素（rhGH）对青春期前特发性矮小（ISS）的疗效。方法观察27例青春期前特发性矮小患儿,平均年龄（8.9±2.0）岁,身高（118.0±10.6）cm。治疗组13例,男10例,女3例,均接受基因重组人生长激素治疗,剂量（0.12±0.01）IU/kg,睡前皮下注射,疗程6个月至1年;对照组14例,男6例,女8例。结果治疗组患儿生长速率（GV）由治疗前（4.28±0.86）cm/a提高到（9.38±1.77）cm/a,P〈0.01;年龄身高标准差积分（HtSDSCA）由-2.28±0.48增至-1.72±0.62（P〈0.01）;骨龄身高标准差积分（HtS-DSBA）由-0.24±1.02增至0.27±0.99（P〈0.05）;与对照组比较,GV、HtSDS（CA）和HtSDS（BA）差异均有统计学意义（P均〈0.05）;两组△BA/△CA比较差异无统计学意义（P均〉0.05）。结论GH治疗能改善ISS儿童的GV及HtSDS（CA）、HtSDS（BA）,而骨龄（BA）加速不明显,疗效肯定。     

重组人生长激素治疗不同生长激素分泌状态青春前期矮身材患儿近期疗预测模型的建立和验证

目的 建立重组人生长激素(rhGH)治疗生长激素不同分泌状态青春前期矮身材患儿近期(1年)疗效的预测模型,并进行初步验证.方法回顾性分析62例生长激素不同分泌状态的青春前期矮身材患儿[模型组,分为全模型组(模型组全部病例)和生长激素缺乏症模型组(模型组中生长激素缺乏症的病例)]经rhGH治疗1年后的追赶性生长指标:生长速度(HV)和身高Z分增值(ΔHtSDS).根据单因素相关分析的结果,通过多元回归的方法,分别建立对HV和ΔHtSDS的2个预测方程(Model-GHD和Model-total).前瞻性分析另14例(验证组),将资料代入前述方程进行验证.结果单因素相关分析显示,与HV和ΔHtSDS显著(负)相关的是同一组影响因素.所得4个预测方程,R2在0.244～0.519,P值均＜0.05.HV的2个预测方程和对生长激素缺乏症患儿1ΔHtSDS的预测方程(实测值和预测值呈显著正相关,r在0.753～0.996;配对t检验示两者差异无统计学意义).结论预测模型建立成功,有助于预测不同生长激素分泌状态青春期矮身材患儿的生长激素的近期疗效.     

Prediction of the growth response in children with various growth disorders treated with growth hormone: analyses of data from the Kabi Pharmacia International Growth Study

Analyses to predict the growth response to recombinant human growth hormone (GH) in prepubertal children during the first year of treatment were performed on data from 472 patients with idiopathic GH deficiency (IGHD), 202 children with Turner's syndrome, 327 children with idiopathic short stature (ISS) and 135 children with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR). In IGHD, 56% of the variability of the response could be predicted from a model based on six variables. These variables could be ranked in order of importance as follows: target height SDS minus height SDS, chronological age, frequency of GH injections, dose of GH, weight-for-height index, and birth weight SDS. When the model for IGHD was applied to Turner's syndrome, ISS and IUGR, there was a high degree of similarity between the predicted and achieved growth response in ISS and IUGR. However, an uneven distribution within the plot of Studentized residuals in ISS and IUGR suggested heterogeneity within these populations. Prediction of growth in Turner's syndrome was greatly exaggerated by the model for IGHD, suggesting a different pathogenesis as the basis of the growth disorder. Specific prediction models were therefore developed for Turner's syndrome, ISS and IUGR. In all three disorders, the dose of GH was found to be the most important predictor, suggesting that, in contrast to IGHD, first-year growth is governed less by the difference between height and the presumed genetically determined target height. Again, in contrast to IGHD, this suggests that catch-up phenomena are not involved. As the predictability of the variation in growth response in Turner's syndrome, ISS and IUGR did not exceed 32% (for ISS), the search for new predictors should continue in these disorders.     

Quality of life of young adults with idiopathic short stature: effect of growth hormone treatment

The aim of the study was to evaluate whether treatment with recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) affects the quality of life of young adults who were diagnosed as idiopathic short stature (ISS) during childhood, and whether their quality of life and aspects of the personality are different from normal. Experiences and expectations concerning rhGH treatment of the subjects and their parents were also investigated. Eighty-nine subjects were included into the study: 24 subjects (16M, 8F) were treated with rhGH from childhood, whereas 65 subjects (40M, 25F) were never treated. At the time of the interview all subjects had attained final height [mean (SD) -2.3 (0.9) SDS for Dutch references], and the age of the treated subjects was 20.5 (1.0)y, and 25.7 (3.5)y of the control subjects (p < 0:001). The level of education was similar, but the treated subjects had less often a partner compared to the control subjects (adjusted for age and gender, p < 0:001). The Nottingham Health Profile and Short Form 36 Health Survey showed no difference in general health state between treated and control subjects, and the healthy Dutch age-specific references (norm group). Although 74% of the subjects reported one or more negative events related to their height, and 61% would like to be taller, only 22% and 11% were willing to trade-off at Time Trade-Off and Standard Gamble, respectively. The personality of the subjects, which was measured by the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, was not different from the norm group. The satisfaction with the rhGH treatment was high, as it had caused 12 (8) cm and 13 (7) cm gain in final height according to the subjects and parents, respectively. Based on initial predicted adult height (Bayley & Pinneau), this gain was only 3.3(5.6) cm. We concluded that although the treated subjects had a partner less often when compared to the control subjects, the quality of life of subjects with ISS at adult age is normal and appears not to be affected by rhGH therapy, The treated subjects were very satisfied with the treatment, probably by overestimation of the final height gain.     

重组人生长激素对不同生长激素分泌状态青春前期矮小患儿近期疗效分析

目的探讨部分性生长激素缺乏症（pGHD）患儿在重组人生长激素（rhGH）治疗后早期追赶性生长的规律。方法回顾性分析62例青春前期不同生长激素（GH）分泌状态矮小患儿用rhGH治疗后,近期（1．5年）追赶性生长指标（生长速度和身高Z分增值）和促生长素轴实验室指标的变化。其中,完全性生长激素缺乏症（cGHD）27例;非GH缺乏性矮小（NGHD）12例;pGHD23例,按GH激发峰值7ng／ml分为pGHD-1（12例）和pGHD-2（11例）两个亚组。结果cGHD和NGHD初始追赶性生长的幅度相似,但NGHD组持续时间较短。pGHD和cGHD以同一rhGH生理替代量治疗后,促生长的应答（生长速度和AIGFBP-3SDS）pGHD-1和cGHD差异无统计学意义,但pGHD-2却低于cGHD,而与NGHD差异无统计学意义。结论GH激发试验的诊断界值选用7ng／ml有更合理的依据,诊断pGHD时尤应审慎。pGHD-2组治疗早期的生长追赶不完全可能与rhGH剂量相对不足有关。     

Auxology and response to growth hormone treatment of patients with intrauterine growth retardation or Silver-Russell syndrome: analysis of data from the Kabi Pharmacia International Growth Study

Using the database from the Kabi Pharmacia International Growth Study, 105 patients with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) (82 males, 23 females) and 45 with Silver-Russell syndrome (SRS) (32 males, 13 females) with persistent postnatal growth failure were studied. Patients with IUGR had a birth length and birth weight more than 2 SD below the mean for gestational age. Their height deficit at the start of GH treatment was -3.0 SDS at a median chronological age of 8.7 years and a median bone age of 7.0 years. Mean paternal and maternal heights were 166 and 153 cm, respectively. The median dose of GH was 0.5 IU/kg/week, given at a median frequency of five injections/week. The median height SDS for chronological age after 1, 2 and 3 years of GH treatment were -2.5, -2.1 and -1.9, respectively. In the 45 patients with SRS, median chronological age and median bone age at the start of treatment were 6.7 and 3.2 years, respectively, and mean paternal and maternal heights were 167.5 and 160 cm, respectively. The median dose of GH was 0.7 IU/kg/week, given at a median frequency of six injections/week. The median height SDS for chronological age at the start of treatment and after 1, 2 and 3 years were -3.5, -2.9, -2.8 and -2.2, respectively. Although the criteria used by physicians when diagnosing SRS were not controlled or verified in this study, it appears that patients with SRS can be differentiated from those with IUGR with persistent growth failure by their reduced bone age for chronological age at the start of treatment, and by the fact that patients with SRS tended to be born to parents of normal height. GH treatment in both groups induced catch-up growth, though long-term follow-up studies will be required to assess the effects of treatment on final height.     

Once versus twice daily injections of growth hormone in children with idiopathic short stature

The aim of this study was to compare the growth response of 22 short pre-pubertal children without growth hormone deficiency, treated with a single daily growth hormone injection (group A), to the growth response of 27 similar children, treated with the same daily dose divided into 2 subcutaneous injections per day (group B), for 1 y, in a randomized study. GH treatment significantly promoted growth parameters, height standard deviation score and height velocity standard deviation score in both groups. Serum insulin-like growth factor I was also increased. There were no significant differences in growth response, serum IGF-I levels, or the advance in bone age between the two study groups after 1 y of GH therapy. We conclude that twice daily s.c. growth hormone injections provide no advantages over once daily injection of the same dose in promoting the linear growth of short children without growth hormone deficiency.     

特发性矮小患儿生长激素受体基因Ex3多态性与重组人生长激素疗效分析

目的：观察生长激素受体（GHR）基因Ex3多态性与重组人生长激素（rhGH）治疗青春期前特发性矮小（ISS）疗效间的相关性。方法：青春期前ISS患儿30例,均采用rhGH［0.116±0.02 IU/(kg/d)］治疗;其外周血白细胞中抽提基因组DNA,采用多重PCR扩增GHR基因Ex3区域。对不同基因型患儿治疗后生长速率（GV）、年龄对应身高标准差积分（HtSDSCA）及骨龄对应身高标准差积分（HtSDSBA）、预测终身高进行比较。结果：rhGH治疗半年后d3/d3基因型组GV较fl/fl基因型组明显增加［（6.3±1.6）cm/年 vs （3.4±0.5）cm/年,P<0.05］。结论：ISS患儿GHR Ex3基因型与rhGH促生长疗效存在一定关联,d3/d3等位基因型患儿用rhGH治疗后生长速率明显优于fl/fl等位基因型。［中国当代儿科杂志,2010,12（9）：730-733］     

重组人生长激素改善ACAN基因变异致家族性矮小的疗效观察及文献复习

目的观察重组人生长激素(rhGH)改善ACAN基因变异致家族性矮小患者身高的疗效。方法回顾分析2个ACAN基因变异致家族性矮小家系rhGH治疗的临床资料,并检索相关文献进行分析。结果先证者1,男,4岁1个月,身高90.5 cm(-3.6 SD),体质量13.5 kg,无明显骨骼畸形;骨龄示5岁6个月龄;基因检测示ACAN基因c.5026_5027del(p.Ser 1676 Ter)杂合缺失变异;予rhGH,50μg/(kg·d)治疗,第1年身高增加13 cm(103.5 cm,-1.8 SD),至第18个月身高增加17.1 cm(107.6 cm,-1.7 SD)。先证者2,男,3岁,身高82 cm(-3.9 SD),体质量12 kg,无明显骨骼畸形;骨龄示1岁6个月龄;基因检测示ACAN基因c.1504C>T(p.R 502C)杂合错义变异;予rhGH,33μg/(kg·d)治疗,第1年身高增加12 cm(94.0 cm,-2.6 SD),至第22个月身高增加17 cm(99.0 cm,-2.68 SD)。结论ACAN基因c.5026_5027 del杂合缺失变异以及c.1504C>T错义变异可引起家族性矮小;rhGH治疗短期可有效改善ACAN基因致家族性矮小患儿的身高。     

儿童矮小症应用生长激素的长期安全性

生长激素(GH)于1956年首先从人垂体中分离出,其生物化学结构直到1972年才阐明.重组DNA技术和基因工程方法,实现了人生长激素(hGH)的大规模生产,使hGH普遍利用成为可能.文章综述生长激素在儿童生长激素缺乏症、慢性肾功能不全、Turner综合征、Prader-Willi综合征、小于胎龄儿持续矮小、特发性矮小、矮小同源异型盒基因(SHOX)缺陷疾病中的应用方法和安全性.提示重组hGH用于儿童的安全性令人满意,但也需注意有潜在风险的特殊群体.     

人生长激素同型异构体比例变化与特发性矮小症的相关性

人生长激素(human growth hormone,hGH)是出生后促进生长的主要激素,生长激素在调节生长的许多方面都起作用,生长激素缺乏会引起生长激素缺乏性矮小(growth hormone deficiency,GHD),但特发性矮小症患儿(idiopathic short stature,ISS)并不存在生长激素(GH)缺乏[1],其发病机制一直是研究的热点,有研究认为hGH同型异构体(humangrowth hormone isoforms,hGHI)比例的变化可能是ISS的发病机制之一[2,3],hGH有多种同型异构体,在垂体、胎盘和外周血中均存在,各种hGHI单体型的22kDa!hGHI含量最丰富,20kDa!hGHI含量次之,它们在结构上有…     

Characteristics of children with idiopathic short stature in the Kabi Pharmacia International Growth Study, and their response to growth hormone treatment

The auxological characteristics and the response to growth hormone (GH) treatment of children with idiopathic short stature were studied, using the database of the Kabi Pharmacia International Growth Study. Pretreatment data from a total of 271 children were analysed. The children were selected for a birth weight above -2 SDS. The correlation coefficient of birth weight SDS and birth length SDS was 0.51, compared with 0.72 for the reference population. Median length at birth was -0.6 SDS, which fell to -2.5 SDS by 3 years of age. Thereafter, there was no further loss in height SDS. The response to GH treatment was studied in 222 of these prepubertal children who were given six or seven injectiodweek over a 3-year period. During this time, the median height SDS increased from -2.5 to -1.5, with those children receiving more than 0.65 IU/kg/week having a greater gain in height SDS than those on 0.5 IU/kg/week or less. The degree of bone age delay did not appear to influence the response to GH therapy.     

Preliminary validation of a prediction model for the short-term growth response to growth hormone therapy in children with idiopathic short stature

A discriminant scoring system, using multivariate analysis, has been developed for pretreatment prediction of responsiveness to a 6-month trial of growth hormone (GH) treatment in short children with subnormal growth velocity, but without GH deficiency. Inclusion criteria included a birth weight above 2.5 kg, height below the 3rd centile for chronological age, height velocity below the 25th centile for bone age, no signs of puberty, a maximal GH response to pharmacological stimulation of above 10 μg/l and treatment with GH at a dose of 12–16 IU/m²/week. Children with an increase in height velocity greater than 2.5 cm/year after therapy were considered to be responders. Pretreatment clinical data from 67 patients were employed in a discriminant analysis in order to establish the model. The scoring system developed was as follows: score = -0.4 + 0.92X₁– 0.87X₂, where X₁ is the height velocity SD score (SDS) for chronological age, and X₂ is the bone age SDS for chronological age. This model had a specificity of 96.3% and a sensitivity of 92.5% in predicting the responsiveness to GH. The model has subsequently been applied to a group of 14 patients in order to establish its validity; in this group its sensitivity was 83.3% and its specificity 100%. These preliminary data suggest that the model can be used as a guideline for selecting short, slowly growing, non-GH-deficient children who will respond to short-term GH therapy.     

Effects of long-term growth hormone releasing hormone 1 -29 in significantly short children

Seven children with significant idiopathic short stature (SISS) whose heights were significantly below the third percentile (SD score for height —2.5 to —3.5) and who had normal levels of growth hormone (GH) were treated with growth hormone releasing hormone (GH-RH) in a dose of 30 /μg/kg/day. Therapy was discontinued if patients failed to increase their rates of growth by more than 2.0 cm/year over their pre-therapy growth rate. Treatment was discontinued in two of the patients after 12 months but was continued in the other five for 24 months. These data demonstrate that some patients with SISS grow well during the first 2 years of treatment with GH-RH.     

Short- and long-term (final height) data in children with normal variant short stature treated with growth hormone

Seventeen children with normal variant short stature and a predicted height below −2 SDS were treated with growth hormone (GH) six times a week for a period of 5 years. Patients were randomly selected to receive three different doses of GH, group 1 (n=6) 3␣IU/m² per day, group 2 (n=6) 4.5 IU/m² per day and group 3 (n=5) 3 IU/m² per day in the 1st year and 4.5␣IU/m² per day thereafter. There was a significant increase in height after 1 and 2 years for all patients and for all subgroups. However, this increase was not dependent on GH dose. The decrease in height velocity during the 2nd year was not prevented by the increase of GH dose in group 3. The change of predicted height after 2 years was +0.75 SDS (according to Tanner Whitehouse). Fourteen children have been treated for 4␣years and 8 children for 5 years without a further change in height prediction. Nine patients have reached final height which was 2.4 cm (+0.41 SDS) above pretreatment height prediction. Final height was nearly identical to predicted height after 1 year of therapy. Conclusion An increment in height prediction was observed during the first 2 years of GH treatment and maintained thereafter. However, there was only a minor increase in final height over predicted height which does not justify the general use of GH in children with normal variant short stature. Received: 19 December 1996 / Accepted: 21 February 1997     

Growth hormone therapy—established uses in short children

Since the first reported efficacious use of human growth hormone in 1958, numerous children have been treated with this hormone. This review discusses the five indications for use of human growth hormone in children that have been approved to date by the United States Food and Drug Administration.
Conclusion: Further, long-term studies will be needed to address the optimal use of this hormone in each of these conditions.     

Long-term psychosocial consequences of hormone treatment for short stature

AIM: To examine psychosocial functioning of young adults with idiopathic short stature or short stature born small for gestational age after growth hormone (GH) and gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) treatment in early adolescence or no intervention. METHODS: Thirty young adults (18 treated, 12 untreated; age 17-23 years; on average 5.5 years after the end of treatment) completed questionnaires regarding perceived competence and psychological distress. They and their parents were interviewed on social circumstances, height-related psychosocial stressors and parental worries about prospects in society. RESULTS: Height gain was on average 2.3 cm more for the treated than for the untreated group. On none of the psychosocial variables differences were found between treated and untreated participants. Compared to Dutch population norms, psychological and social functioning was normal. CONCLUSION: GH/GnRHa treatment, with arrest of pubertal development and lower than expected effects on final height, is not observed to lead to long-term negative or positive effects. Both treated and untreated participants go well through the psychosocial transition period of young adulthood. This suggests that, in the long term and independent of hormone treatment, adequate psychosocial adjustment is expected in case of short stature.