Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 11, 2026

Digital Home-Monitoring of Patients after Kidney Transplantation: The MACCS Platform
07:13

Digital Home-Monitoring of Patients after Kidney Transplantation: The MACCS Platform

Published on: April 12, 2021

Patient outcomes in the GHMonitor: the effect of delivery device on compliance and growth

Paul Desrosiers1, Fanny O'Brien, Sandra Blethen

  • 1Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Nemours Children's Clinic, Orlando, 32806, and Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA. pdesrosiers@nemours.org

Pediatric Endocrinology Reviews : PER
|February 4, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Growth hormone (GH) administration method did not impact patient outcomes over two years. However, the needle-free delivery system (NFDS) showed better compliance, potentially improving outcomes in non-compliant patients.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Pharmacology
  • Biotechnology

Background:

  • Growth hormone (GH) therapy is crucial for pediatric growth disorders.
  • Administration methods, including needle-and-syringe and needle-free devices, may influence treatment adherence and efficacy.
  • Saizen GH (somatropin [rDNA origin] for injection) is a commonly used recombinant human growth hormone formulation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the efficacy of two different methods of growth hormone administration on patient outcomes.
  • To assess the impact of needle-and-syringe versus needle-free delivery system (NFDS) on growth response in children.
  • To evaluate patient compliance with growth hormone therapy based on the administration device used.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of data from 631 North American children in the GHMonitor electronic database.
  • Comparison of growth rates, height SD scores, and height age changes over two years between children treated with needle-and-syringe (n=305) and NFDS (n=326).
  • Assessment of patient compliance, defined by the number of missed GH doses per month.

Main Results:

  • No significant differences in growth response were observed between the needle-and-syringe and NFDS groups over two years.
  • A higher proportion of patients using needle-and-syringe missed over half of their prescribed GH doses compared to NFDS users (13.4% vs. 6%, P=.002).
  • Poorly compliant patients in both groups exhibited significantly lower growth rates than those with better adherence.

Conclusions:

  • The method of GH administration (needle-and-syringe vs. NFDS) did not affect overall treatment outcomes in this cohort.
  • The needle-free delivery system (NFDS) was associated with significantly better patient compliance.
  • For patients with compliance challenges, utilizing an NFDS may lead to improved growth hormone therapy outcomes.

More Related Videos

Improving IV Insulin Administration in a Community Hospital12:08

Improving IV Insulin Administration in a Community Hospital

Published on: June 11, 2012

Related Concept Videos

Drug Dosing: Infants and Children01:29

Drug Dosing: Infants and Children

Pediatric patient dosages diverge from adults due to disparities in body surface area, total body water, and extracellular fluid per kilogram of body weight. The dosing regimen considers the variations in pharmacokinetics and pharmacology across distinct age groups, encompassing preterm newborns, infants, young children, older children, and adolescents. Calculation of pediatric patient doses is predicated on determining body surface area, which exhibits a superior correlation with the child's...
Intrauterine Drug Delivery Systems01:21

Intrauterine Drug Delivery Systems

Controlled-release systems for intravaginal and intrauterine drug delivery have been developed primarily for the administration of contraceptive steroid hormones. These delivery routes circumvent first-pass hepatic metabolism, thereby enhancing bioavailability and allowing for reduced systemic dosages compared to oral administration. Such approaches contribute to improved therapeutic efficacy and patient compliance, particularly in long-term contraceptive regimens.Intravaginal Drug Delivery...
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring: Affecting Factors01:29

Therapeutic Drug Monitoring: Affecting Factors

Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM) is the clinical practice of measuring specific drug levels in a patient's blood or body tissues to manage and optimize therapy. TDM is crucial for drugs with narrow therapeutic windows, like warfarin and phenytoin, where incorrect doses can lead to treatment failure or severe side effects. This monitoring ensures the dosage administered is within a safe and effective range. The factors affecting therapeutic drug monitoring include:Patient-Specific Factors:a.
Modified-Release Drug Delivery Systems: Influencing Factors01:20

Modified-Release Drug Delivery Systems: Influencing Factors

Modified-release drug delivery systems are designed to optimize the therapeutic effect of drugs by minimizing side effects, reducing the dosage required, and controlling drug release to align with pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic needs. The system depends on two key factors: the drug's release from the formulation and its movement through the body to the target site. Unlike conventional dosage forms, where absorption is the limiting step, the rate of drug release is the key determinant in...
Development of the Oral Microbiota01:28

Development of the Oral Microbiota

The establishment of the oral microbiome begins before birth, challenging the long-held belief that the fetal oral cavity is sterile. The presence of oral microbes such as Streptococcus and Fusobacterium in amniotic fluid suggests that microbial exposure may occur in utero, potentially through translocation from the maternal oral or gastrointestinal tract. This early colonization primes the neonatal immune system and sets the stage for subsequent microbial succession. Maternal health,...