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Effects of exogenous growth hormone on resting pulmonary function in children with thermal injury
Oscar E Suman1, Ronald P Mlcak, David N Herndon
1Medical Staff Administration, Shriners Hospitals for Children and Department of Surgery, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77550, USA.
Insights
Growth hormone (GH) therapy did not significantly improve pulmonary function (PF) in burned children over one year. While PF improved in both treated and placebo groups, GH offered no additional benefit for these children recovering from severe burns.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Burn Recovery
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Burn-injured children often experience long-term pulmonary function (PF) deficits.
- Growth hormone (GH) therapy has shown promise in improving PF in conditions like cystic fibrosis.
- The efficacy of GH for PF improvement in pediatric burn survivors remains unestablished.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of GH administration on pulmonary function in children with severe burn injuries.
- To determine if GH therapy can enhance lung function recovery in pediatric burn survivors.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 30 children (aged 7-18) with >=40% total body surface area burns.
- Participants received either GH (0.05 mg/kg/day) or a saline placebo for 12 months.
- Pulmonary function tests were assessed at baseline and 1 year post-burn.
Main Results:
- Both GH and placebo groups showed significant increases in PF over 1 year.
- No statistically significant differences in PF improvement were observed between the GH and placebo groups.
- Height and weight remained comparable between groups at 12 months post-burn.
Conclusions:
- GH administration for up to one year demonstrated limited efficacy in improving pulmonary function in burned children.
- The study suggests that GH therapy may not be a beneficial intervention for enhancing lung function recovery in this population.
Abstract:
Burned children living beyond the acute phase of injury often have extensive physical functional limitations, such as impaired spirometry pulmonary function (PF). In patients with both lung disease and nutritional compromise, such as cystic fibrosis, studies suggest that growth hormone (GH) therapy improves PF. However, whether GH will improve PF in burned children is presently unknown. We therefore evaluated whether GH administration of 0.05 mg/kg/day for 1 year would improve PF in burned children. Thirty children, aged 7 to 18, with a 40% or more total body surface area burned were randomized into two groups and studied. One group received GH (n = 17) and the other received saline (n = 13). No differences were noted at hospital discharge between groups in age, % total body surface area, height, and weight. At 12 months after burn, both groups had similar height and weight. Baseline PF were below normal in both groups, but no statistical differences were noted between groups. At 1 year, there was a significant increase in PF in both groups; however, this increase in PF was similar in both groups. We conclude that the response in PF in burned children from the administration of GH prescribed for up to 1 year is limited.
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