Growth hormone therapy for short stature in Diamond Blackfan anemia

BACKGROUND: We report a 13-year-old male with Diamond Blackfan anemia and short stature. He had a normal biochemical response to growth hormone (GH) stimulation, but his bone age was delayed, his insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) was low, and he had a poor growth velocity. He was started on daily GH injections. METHODS: From the patient's medical record the following data were collected: serial heights, serial weights, hemoglobin, hematocrit, bone age, IGF-1, and steroid dose. RESULTS: This patient had an increase in growth velocity up to 8.2 cm/year. CONCLUSIONS: Growth hormone therapy should be considered in children with DBA, short stature and poor growth velocity.