Objective: In Europe, growth hormone (GH) treatment for children born small for gestational age (SGA) can only be initiated after 4 years of age. However, younger age at treatment initiation is a predictor of favourable response. To assess the effect of GH treatment on early growth and cognitive functioning in very young (<30 months), short-stature children born SGA.
Design: A 2-year, randomized controlled, multicentre study (NCT00627523; EGN study), in which patients received either GH treatment or no treatment for 24 months.
Patients: Children aged 19-29 months diagnosed as SGA at birth, and for whom sufficient early growth data were available, were eligible. Patients were randomized (1:1) to GH treatment (Genotropin®, Pfizer Inc.) at a dose of 0·035 mg/kg/day by subcutaneous injection, or no treatment.
Measurements: The primary objective was to assess the change from baseline in height standard deviation score (SDS) after 24 months of GH treatment.
Results: Change from baseline in height SDS was significantly greater in the GH treatment vs control group at both month 12 (1·03 vs 0·14) and month 24 (1·63 vs 0·43; both P < 0·001). Growth velocity SDS was significantly higher in the GH treatment vs control group at 12 months (P < 0·001), but not at 24 months. There was no significant difference in mental or psychomotor development indices between the two groups.
Conclusions: GH treatment for 24 months in very young short-stature children born SGA resulted in a significant increase in height SDS compared with no treatment.
© 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.