Sustained Effect of Human Growth Hormone Therapy on Children With Intrauterine Growth Retardation

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Abstract
Previous studies have not clarified whether human growth hormone (hgH) therapy can significantly increase the height of patients with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR). To determine whether the initial increase in growth rate is sustained through subsequent treatment, 19 prepubertal patients who had IURG were treated with hgH. Ten of them received a 2nd treatment course. Growth rates (in centimeters per year) were 4.8 .+-. 1.4 (mean .+-. SD) for the pretreatment period, 7.6 .+-. 2.3 for the 1st treatment period, 4.2 .+-. 2.5 for the interval between treatments, 5.9 .+-. 1.4 for the 2nd treatment period and 4.3 .+-. 2.6 for the posttreatment period. Growth rates for the 2 treatment periods were significantly greater than for ther periods before, interval between and posttreatment. Height expressed as the number of standard deviations below the mean for age increased significantly between the onset of treatment and the most recent measurement. hGH has a sustained positive effect on increasing growth rates in children with IUGR, although the magnitude of the effect may decrease with further treatment. It is worthwhile to treat patients who have IUGR with hGH for prolonged periods of time, if supplies exceed those necessary to treat children with growth hormone deficiency.

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