AIM: The optimal GH regimen, in terms of cost-effectiveness, in children with normal GH immunoreactivity but reduced bioactivity is still debated. METHODS: In 12 GH-deficient (GHD) and 12 bioinactive GH children undergoing GH treatment we evaluated the increase in growth velocity, the difference between target height and final stature and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. RESULTS: We found a significant (p < 0.05) increase in growth velocity in both groups during the first year of GH treatment (non- GHD: from -1.7 to 5.4 SDS; GHD: from -1.46 to 4.74 SDS). There was no statistically significant variation between the two groups in the difference between final height and target height. We did not find any significant difference in cost/height gain between GHD (1925.28 ± 653.15 euro) and bioinactive GH children (1639.55 ± 631.44 euro). There were also no significant differences in cost/year of therapy between GHD (12347.68 ± 2018.1 euro) and bioinactive GH children (11355.08 ± 1747.61 euro). CONCLUSION: In children with reduced GH biological activity, confirmed by the increase of serum IGF-I levels during generation test, the cost of GH treatment is justified by the positive results obtained in growth and adult height as in classical GHD patients.
AIM: The optimal GH regimen, in terms of cost-effectiveness, in children with normal GH immunoreactivity but reduced bioactivity is still debated. METHODS: In 12 GH-deficient (GHD) and 12 bioinactive GH children undergoing GH treatment we evaluated the increase in growth velocity, the difference between target height and final stature and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. RESULTS: We found a significant (p < 0.05) increase in growth velocity in both groups during the first year of GH treatment (non- GHD: from -1.7 to 5.4 SDS; GHD: from -1.46 to 4.74 SDS). There was no statistically significant variation between the two groups in the difference between final height and target height. We did not find any significant difference in cost/height gain between GHD (1925.28 ± 653.15 euro) and bioinactive GH children (1639.55 ± 631.44 euro). There were also no significant differences in cost/year of therapy between GHD (12347.68 ± 2018.1 euro) and bioinactive GH children (11355.08 ± 1747.61 euro). CONCLUSION: In children with reduced GH biological activity, confirmed by the increase of serum IGF-I levels during generation test, the cost of GH treatment is justified by the positive results obtained in growth and adult height as in classical GHD patients.
Authors: Mark D Lewis; Martin Horan; David S Millar; Vicky Newsway; Tammy E Easter; Linda Fryklund; John W Gregory; Martin Norin; Cristóbal-Jorge Del Valle; Juan Pedro López-Siguero; Ramón Cañete; Luis Fernando López-Canti; Nieves Díaz-Torrado; Rafael Espino; Angels Ulied; Maurice F Scanlon; Annie M Procter; David N Cooper Journal: J Clin Endocrinol Metab Date: 2004-03 Impact factor: 5.958
Authors: A Juul; P Bang; N T Hertel; K Main; P Dalgaard; K Jørgensen; J Müller; K Hall; N E Skakkebaek Journal: J Clin Endocrinol Metab Date: 1994-03 Impact factor: 5.958
Authors: Kerstin Albertsson-Wikland; A Stefan Aronson; Jan Gustafsson; Lars Hagenäs; Sten A Ivarsson; Björn Jonsson; Berit Kriström; Claude Marcus; Karl Olof Nilsson; E Martin Ritzén; Torsten Tuvemo; Otto Westphal; Jan Aman Journal: J Clin Endocrinol Metab Date: 2008-08-26 Impact factor: 5.958