Growth and development of children with chronic renal failure. Study Group on Pubertal Development in Chronic Renal Failure.

Preliminary results from an ongoing multicentre study on pubertal growth and sexual maturation in chronic renal failure are presented. Puberty was delayed by approximately 2.5 years in both sexes in children with chronic renal failure. There was also an irreversible decline in height SDS during puberty. The pulsatile secretion of growth hormone (GH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) were disrupted in patients on conservative treatment or dialysis compared with those in patients with renal transplants; the mean nocturnal GH level and the mean GH peak amplitude were increased, while the number of pulses and peak amplitude of LH were decreased. The biopotency of LH, expressed as the ratio of bioactive to immunoreactive LH, was suppressed in patients with renal transplants.