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Growth hormone treatment in young children with Down's syndrome: effects on growth and psychomotor development

G Annerén1, T Tuvemo, C Carlsson-Skwirut

  • 1Department of Genetics and Pathology, Unit of Clinical Genetics, Uppsala University Children's Hospital, S-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden. goran.anneren@ped.uas.lul.se

Archives of Disease in Childhood
|March 23, 1999
PubMed

Insights

Growth hormone (GH) treatment improved linear growth in children with Down syndrome, but did not impact cognitive or motor development. Growth velocity decreased after treatment cessation.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Endocrinology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Down syndrome is characterized by learning disabilities and short stature.
  • Insulin-like Growth Factor I (IGF-I), regulated by Growth Hormone (GH), may play a role in brain development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the long-term effects of GH on linear growth and psychomotor development in young children with Down syndrome.
  • To assess the impact of GH on skeletal maturation, IGF-I, IGF binding proteins (BP), and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) IGF-II.

Main Methods:

  • A three-year study involving 15 children with Down syndrome (ages 6-9 months).
  • Treatment with GH was administered, with regular monitoring of growth parameters, psychomotor development, and biochemical markers.
  • A control group of children with Down syndrome was used for comparison.

Main Results:

  • GH treatment increased mean height SDS from -1.8 to -0.8, while the control group's height fell from -1.7 to -2.2 SDS.
  • Growth velocity decreased after GH treatment cessation.
  • No significant improvements were observed in head circumference, mental development, or gross motor skills.
  • Serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels normalized during GH treatment.

Conclusions:

  • GH treatment effectively improves linear growth velocity in children with Down syndrome.
  • GH therapy does not influence head circumference, cognitive function, or gross motor development in this population.
  • The positive effects on growth velocity are not sustained after treatment discontinuation.
Abstract

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