J S Renes1, R H Willemsen1, J C Mulder2, W M Bakker-van Waarde3, J Rotteveel4, W Oostdijk5, E C A M Houdijk6, C Westerlaken7, C Noordam8, A A Verrijn Stuart9, R J Odink10, M A J de Ridder11, A C S Hokken-Koelega1,12. 1. Department of Pediatrics, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus Medical Center - Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. 2. Department of Pediatrics, Rijnstate Hospital, Arnhem, The Netherlands. 3. Department of Pediatrics, Division of Endocrinology, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. 4. Department of Pediatrics, Division of Endocrinology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. 5. Department of Pediatrics, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands. 6. Department of Pediatrics, Haga Hospitals - Juliana Children's Hospital, Den Haag, The Netherlands. 7. Department of Pediatrics, Canisius Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. 8. Department of Pediatrics, Division of Endocrinology, University Medical Center Radboud, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. 9. Department of Pediatrics, Division of Endocrinology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands. 10. Department of Pediatrics, Catharina Hospital, Eindhoven, The Netherlands. 11. Department of Biostatistics, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. 12. Dutch Growth Research Foundation, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Growth hormone (GH) treatment is effective in improving adult height (AH) in short children born SGA. However, there is a wide variation in height gain, even after adjustment for predictive variables. It is therefore important to investigate new factors which can influence the response to GH. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of GH treatment (1 mg/m(2/) day) in short SGA children on AH. To assess the relation between spontaneous catch-up growth after birth and growth during puberty on the total height gain SDS to AH. PATIENTS: Longitudinal GH trial in 170 children. RESULTS: Median age at start of GH was 7·1 years and height -3·0 SDS. AH was -1·8 SDS (TH-corrected AH -1·1 SDS) in boys and -1·9 SDS (TH-corrected AH -1·3 SDS) in girls. Spontaneous catch-up growth after birth was ≥0·5 SDS in 42% of children. In contrast to expectation, spontaneous catch-up growth was negatively correlated with total height gain SDS during GH (P = 0·009). During puberty, height SDS declined (-0·4 SDS in boys and -0·5 SDS in girls) resulting in a lower total height gain SDS than expected. Pubertal height gain was 25·5 cm in boys and 15·3 cm in girls, significantly lower compared to AGA children (P < 0·001). At onset of puberty, BA for boys and girls was moderately advanced (P = 0·02 and P < 0·001, respectively). Growth velocity was comparable to AGA children during the first two years of puberty, but thereafter significantly lower until reaching AH (P < 0·001). CONCLUSION: In contrast to our hypothesis, children with greater spontaneous catch-up growth after birth show a lower total height gain SDS during GH. Height SDS declines from mid-puberty, due to a marked early deceleration of growth velocity.
BACKGROUND:Growth hormone (GH) treatment is effective in improving adult height (AH) in short children born SGA. However, there is a wide variation in height gain, even after adjustment for predictive variables. It is therefore important to investigate new factors which can influence the response to GH. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of GH treatment (1 mg/m(2/) day) in short SGA children on AH. To assess the relation between spontaneous catch-up growth after birth and growth during puberty on the total height gain SDS to AH. PATIENTS: Longitudinal GH trial in 170 children. RESULTS: Median age at start of GH was 7·1 years and height -3·0 SDS. AH was -1·8 SDS (TH-corrected AH -1·1 SDS) in boys and -1·9 SDS (TH-corrected AH -1·3 SDS) in girls. Spontaneous catch-up growth after birth was ≥0·5 SDS in 42% of children. In contrast to expectation, spontaneous catch-up growth was negatively correlated with total height gain SDS during GH (P = 0·009). During puberty, height SDS declined (-0·4 SDS in boys and -0·5 SDS in girls) resulting in a lower total height gain SDS than expected. Pubertal height gain was 25·5 cm in boys and 15·3 cm in girls, significantly lower compared to AGA children (P < 0·001). At onset of puberty, BA for boys and girls was moderately advanced (P = 0·02 and P < 0·001, respectively). Growth velocity was comparable to AGA children during the first two years of puberty, but thereafter significantly lower until reaching AH (P < 0·001). CONCLUSION: In contrast to our hypothesis, children with greater spontaneous catch-up growth after birth show a lower total height gain SDS during GH. Height SDS declines from mid-puberty, due to a marked early deceleration of growth velocity.