Early GH Treatment Is Effective and Well Tolerated in Children With Turner Syndrome: NordiNet® IOS and Answer Program

Abstract

Context: Despite having normal growth hormone (GH) secretion, individuals with Turner syndrome (TS) have short stature. Treatment with recombinant human GH is recommended for TS girls with short stature.

Objective: This work aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Norditropin (somatropin, Novo Nordisk) with up to 10 years of follow-up in children with TS.

Methods: Secondary analysis was conducted of Norditropin data from 2 non-interventional studies: NordiNet® IOS (NCT00960128) and the ANSWER program (NCT01009905).

Results: A total of 2377 girls with TS were included in the safety analysis set (SAS), with 1513 in the treatment-naive effectiveness analysis set (EAS). At the start of treatment, 1273 (84%) participants were prepubertal (EAS); mean (SD) age was 8.8 (3.9) years. Mean (SD) dose received at the start of GH treatment was 0.045 (0.011) mg/kg/day (EAS). Mean (SD) baseline insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-I) SD score (SDS) was -0.86 (1.52), and mean (SD) duration of GH treatment (SAS) was 3.8 (2.8) years.Height SDS (HSDS) increased throughout follow-up, with near-adult HSDS reached by 264 (17%) participants (mean [SD] -1.99 [0.94]; change from baseline +0.90 [0.85]). During the study, 695 (46%) participants (EAS) entered puberty at a mean (SD) age of 12.7 (1.9) years (whether puberty was spontaneous or induced was unknown). Within the SAS, mean IGF-I SDS (SD) at year 10 was 0.91 (1.69); change from baseline +1.48 (1.70). Serious adverse reactions were reported in 10 participants (epiphysiolysis [n = 3]).

Conclusion: GH-treated participants with TS responded well, without new safety concerns. Our real-world data are in agreement with previous studies.

Keywords: adverse reactions; children; effectiveness; human growth hormone; safety; turner syndrome.