[Study on growth hormone treatment in small for gestational age children]

Abstract

Objective: To analyse the effectiveness of growth hormone (GH) therapy in short-stature children born small for gestational age (SGA) without catch-up growth (height at the beginning of treatment<-2.5 SDS), in Valencia (Spain), between 01/01/2003 and 12/31/2013; and to compare our findings with previously published data.

Materials and methods: Anthropometric data from the SGA children were obtained from the database of the «Ministry of Health of Valencia». These data were retrospectively reviewed.

Results: A total of 115 SGA children, with a mean age of 8.10±2.75 years and height of -3.14±0.59 SDS started treatment (dose: 0.035±0.004mg/kg/day) between January 1st, 2003 and March 31st, 2013. After 2 years of therapy (n=115, age: 10.50±2.72 years) the height SDS was -2.11±0.66; and after 4 years (n = 96, age: 12.65±2.46 years) of -1.76±0.75 SDS. This latest improvement in stature matches ages at which the growth spurt usually occurs. Only 35 out of 115 children reached adult height, although impaired (-2.22±0.86 SDS), and failed to achieve their target height (-1.72 ±0.75 SDS). However, this sub-group grew to near the height of the shorter parent (-1.95 ±1.28 SDS), and 42,9% of these 35 cases increased their stature by more than 1 SDS.

Conclusions: The studied sample did not achieve satisfactory growth results, as in other published series. Our findings might be improved by starting treatment earlier, and with doses individualised according to patient characteristics.

Keywords: Hormona de crecimiento humana; Human growth hormone; Pequeño para la edad gestacional; Short stature; Small for gestational age; Talla baja.