BACKGROUND/AIMS: To evaluate effects of growth hormone (GH) treatment on behaviour and psychosocial characteristics in short-stature children. METHODS:99 referred prepubertal non-familiar short-stature children (32 GH deficiency; 67 idiopathic short stature) aged 3-11 years, randomized to fixed or individual GH doses and their parents completed questionnaires (Child Behaviour Checklist, Birleson Depression Self-Report Scale, Abbreviated Parent-Teacher Questionnaire, I Think I Am, Well-Being Visual-Analogue Scales for Short-Stature Children) at baseline (BL) and after 3, 12, and 24 months. RESULTS: At BL, children showed higher levels of internalizing behaviour (p < 0.001), lower levels of externalizing behaviour (p < 0.006) and self-esteem (p < 0.001) compared to reference values. During GH treatment, behavioural measures (p < 0.001) and depression (p < 0.01) changed towards the mean of the population within the first 3 months and remained improved to 24 months. Self-esteem improved at all time points (p < 0.001), and in all subgroups, as did well-being dimensions stability and mood (p < 0.05). Multiple regression analysis showed that greater improvements were related to lower BL value, height gain, higher maximal GH value, being older, and being male. CONCLUSION: On GH treatment, prepubertal short children significantly improved on behavioural, depression, and psychosocial evaluations over a 2-year period of GH treatment. Most change occurred within the first 3 months, which highlights this short period as important not only for growth and metabolic changes but also for behaviour and psychosocial improvements following GH treatment.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND/AIMS: To evaluate effects of growth hormone (GH) treatment on behaviour and psychosocial characteristics in short-stature children. METHODS: 99 referred prepubertal non-familiar short-stature children (32 GH deficiency; 67 idiopathic short stature) aged 3-11 years, randomized to fixed or individual GH doses and their parents completed questionnaires (Child Behaviour Checklist, Birleson Depression Self-Report Scale, Abbreviated Parent-Teacher Questionnaire, I Think I Am, Well-Being Visual-Analogue Scales for Short-Stature Children) at baseline (BL) and after 3, 12, and 24 months. RESULTS: At BL, children showed higher levels of internalizing behaviour (p < 0.001), lower levels of externalizing behaviour (p < 0.006) and self-esteem (p < 0.001) compared to reference values. During GH treatment, behavioural measures (p < 0.001) and depression (p < 0.01) changed towards the mean of the population within the first 3 months and remained improved to 24 months. Self-esteem improved at all time points (p < 0.001), and in all subgroups, as did well-being dimensions stability and mood (p < 0.05). Multiple regression analysis showed that greater improvements were related to lower BL value, height gain, higher maximal GH value, being older, and being male. CONCLUSION: On GH treatment, prepubertal short children significantly improved on behavioural, depression, and psychosocial evaluations over a 2-year period of GH treatment. Most change occurred within the first 3 months, which highlights this short period as important not only for growth and metabolic changes but also for behaviour and psychosocial improvements following GH treatment.
Authors: Ralph Decker; Anders Nygren; Berit Kriström; Andreas Fm Nierop; Jan Gustafsson; Kerstin Albertsson-Wikland; Jovanna Dahlgren Journal: BMC Endocr Disord Date: 2012-11-01 Impact factor: 2.763