Related Experiment Videos

Puberty in growth hormone-treated children born small for gestational age (SGA)

Venje Boonstra1, Yvonne van Pareren, Paul Mulder

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Sophia Children's Hospital/Erasmus University, Rotterdam 3015 GJ, The Netherlands. v.h.boonstra@erasmusmc.nl

The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
|December 13, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Long-term growth hormone (GH) therapy in children born small for gestational age (SGA) does not affect puberty onset or progression. This study found no significant differences in pubertal timing or height gain compared to appropriate for gestational age (AGA) peers.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Growth Hormone Therapy
  • Child Development

Background:

  • Children born small for gestational age (SGA) often experience growth deficits.
  • Growth hormone (GH) therapy is used to improve growth in SGA children.
  • The impact of GH therapy on pubertal development in SGA children requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the effect of two different doses of GH (1 mg/m(2).d vs. 2 mg/m(2).d) on the onset and progression of puberty in children born SGA.
  • To compare the pubertal development of GH-treated SGA children with appropriate for gestational age (AGA) controls.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized, double-blind, dose-response trial involving 75 SGA children.
  • Children received either 1 mg or 2 mg GH/m(2).d.
  • Data on age at puberty onset, menarche, and pubertal height gain were collected and compared with Dutch reference data.

Main Results:

  • No significant difference in the age at onset of puberty was observed between SGA boys treated with 2 mg GH/m(2).d and AGA controls. SGA boys on 1 mg GH/m(2).d started puberty later than AGA controls.
  • Age at menarche and interval to menarche were not significantly different for GH-treated SGA girls compared to peers.
  • Duration of puberty and pubertal height gain were comparable between the two GH dosage groups and with untreated short SGA children.

Conclusions:

  • Long-term GH therapy in short SGA children does not influence the age at onset or progression of puberty.
  • The dosage of GH (1 or 2 mg/m(2).d) did not significantly alter pubertal development compared to AGA controls.
  • Pubertal progression and height gain during puberty were similar across different GH treatment groups and comparable to untreated SGA children.

Related Concept Videos

Nature and Nurture01:10

Nature and Nurture

Many human characteristics, like height, are shaped by both nature—in other words, by our genes—and by nurture, or our environment. For example, chronic stress during childhood inhibits the production of growth hormones and consequently reduces bone growth and height. Scientists estimate that 70-90% of variation in height is due to genetic differences among individuals, and 10-30% of variation in height is due to differences in the environments that individuals experience, such as differences...
Glucose Transporters01:27

Glucose Transporters

Glucose transporters facilitate the transport of glucose across the cell membrane. In addition to glucose, some glucose transporters can also aid the movement of other hexoses such as fructose, mannose, and galactose.
Facilitated diffusion-glucose transporters (GLUTs) are encoded by the solute-linked carrier (SLC) family 2, subfamily A gene family, or SLC2A. The 14 GLUT protein members are distributed into three classes:
Pathophysiology of Diabetes01:20

Pathophysiology of Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia. The four categories of diabetes are type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, other specific types of diabetes, and gestational diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes is characterized by autoimmune-mediated destruction of pancreatic β cells, with environmental factors potentially triggering this process in genetically susceptible individuals. Despite many not having a family history, certain genes increase susceptibility, suggesting a...
Teratogenicity01:07

Teratogenicity

The ability of a drug to produce structural deformations and functional abnormalities in the developing embryo or the fetus is called teratogenicity, and the drug producing this effect is known as a teratogen. Teratogenic effects include stillbirth, miscarriage, intrauterine growth restriction, and neurocognitive delay. A teratogen may affect the embryo at different stages of development, which is important in determining the type and extent of the damage. During blastocyst formation, the early...