[The effects of recombinant human growth hormone (r-hGH, SM-9500, genotropin) on growth disturbance in children after renal transplantation. Japanese Multi-Center Study (Genotropin) Group on Children with Renal Disease].

We treated 27 children with renal transplantation who showed growth failure due to deteriorated graft function and/or corticosteroids therapy with recombinant growth hormone (r-hGH) to improve their growth disturbance. The dose of rhGH was either 0.5 or 1.0 IU/kg/week. After 12 months treatment of r-hGH, growth velocity was significantly increased in both groups. Growth velocity was improved from 5.0 +/- 2.9 cm/year to 7.7 +/- 2.3 cm/year, P < 0.05, in 0.51U group and 3.7 +/- 2.4 cm/year to 6.3 +/- 3.3 cm/year, P < 0.05, in 1.01U group. The most important side effect of r-hGH was relevant to graft function. 7 out of all 27 children showed deterioration of graft function. However only 2 children showed significant decreases in their graft function during r-hGH therapy. Thus we conclude that r-hGH therapy was effective to improve growth failure in uremic children even after renal transplantation due to poor graft function and/or corticosteroids therapy.