Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 11, 2026

Endoscopic Endonasal Trans-sphenoidal Approach: Minimally Invasive Surgery for Pituitary Adenomas
07:43

Endoscopic Endonasal Trans-sphenoidal Approach: Minimally Invasive Surgery for Pituitary Adenomas

Published on: January 17, 2018

[Growth hormone treatment of short children born small for gestational age]

Henrik B Thybo Christesen1, Rikke Bodin Beck Jensen, Niels H Birkebaek

  • 1Odense Universitetshospital, Børneafdelingen, H:S Rigshospitalet, Afdeling for Vaekst.

Ugeskrift for Laeger
|March 4, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Children born small for gestational age (SGA) who remain short may benefit from growth hormone (GH) treatment. This therapy can significantly improve final height in these children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Endocrinology
  • Growth Disorders

Context:

  • Small for gestational age (SGA) is defined by birth weight below -2 SD for gestational age.
  • Short SGA children exhibit reduced height (< -2.5 SD) by four years of age.
  • Growth hormone (GH) therapy is an approved indication in Europe since 2003 for persistent SGA short stature.

Purpose:

  • To describe the Danish consensus guidelines for the diagnosis, treatment, and control of short children born small for gestational age (SGA).

Summary:

  • Short children born small for gestational age (SGA) are identified by specific birth weight and childhood height parameters.
  • Growth hormone (GH) treatment demonstrates significant efficacy, improving final height by an average of 12 centimeters in SGA children.
  • The review outlines established protocols for managing short SGA children.

Impact:

  • Provides a framework for consistent and effective management of short SGA children in Denmark.
  • Highlights the therapeutic benefits of GH treatment for improving final height outcomes.
  • Contributes to the understanding and clinical application of guidelines for SGA short stature.

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...
Hypoglycemia and Glucagon01:15

Hypoglycemia and Glucagon

Without prolonged fasting, healthy individuals maintain blood glucose levels above 3.5 mM due to a well-adapted neuroendocrine counterregulatory system that effectively prevents acute hypoglycemia, a potentially life-threatening condition. The primary clinical scenarios for hypoglycemia encompass diabetes treatment, inappropriate production of endogenous insulin or insulin-like substances by tumors, and the use of glucose-lowering agents in non-diabetic individuals. Notably, hypoglycemia in the...
Insulin: Dosing Regimen and Adverse Effects01:16

Insulin: Dosing Regimen and Adverse Effects

Insulin-replacement therapy usually includes both long-acting insulin (basal) and short-acting insulin (to cater to postprandial needs). In a diverse group of type 1 diabetes patients, the average daily insulin dose is typically 0.5-0.7 units/kg body weight. However, obese patients and pubertal adolescents may need more due to insulin resistance.
The basal dose constitutes about 40%-50% of the total daily dose, with the rest as premeal insulin. The mealtime insulin dose should mirror...
Glucagon-like Receptor Agonists01:24

Glucagon-like Receptor Agonists

Incretins include glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), which stimulate insulin secretion post-meals. In type 2 diabetes, GIP's efficacy is reduced, making GLP-1 a viable drug target. GIP originates from preproGIP.
GLP-1, when administered in high doses intravenously, triggers insulin secretion, inhibits glucagon release, slows gastric emptying, reduces food intake, and restores normal insulin secretion. However, its rapid inactivation by the...
Gene Therapy00:59

Gene Therapy

Gene therapy is a technique where a gene is inserted into a person’s cells to prevent or treat a serious disease. The added gene may be a healthy version of the gene that is mutated in the patient, or it could be a different gene that inactivates or compensates for the patient’s disease-causing gene. For example, in patients with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) due to a mutation in the gene for the enzyme adenosine deaminase, a functioning version of the gene can be inserted. The...
Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational01:22

Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational

Type 2 diabetes, characterized by insulin resistance, arises when the insulin receptors on cells lose responsiveness to insulin, diminishing the cell's capacity to take up glucose, resulting in elevated blood glucose levels. To receive a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes, a series of blood glucose tests are necessary to assess whether the blood glucose falls within normal parameters. If the result is out of the normal range, a patient may be diagnosed as prediabetic or diabetic, depending on the...