Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 9, 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 therapy in short children born small for gestational age

F de Zegher1, K K Ong, L Ibáñez

  • 1University of Leuven, Belgium. francis.dezegher@uz.kuleuven.ac.be

Hormone Research
|April 14, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Growth hormone (GH) therapy effectively promotes growth in children born small for gestational age (SGA), especially when initiated early. Ongoing monitoring for potential side effects is recommended, particularly during puberty.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Endocrinology
  • Child Growth and Development

Background:

  • Limited randomized, controlled, long-term studies exist for growth hormone (GH) treatment in children born small for gestational age (SGA).
  • Existing evidence suggests GH therapy is a viable option for improving growth in SGA children.
  • Early initiation of GH treatment appears particularly beneficial for growth promotion.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide an updated review on the safety and efficacy of GH treatment in children born SGA.
  • To highlight the benefits of early GH intervention in SGA populations.
  • To emphasize the need for continued surveillance of potential adverse effects.

Main Methods:

  • Review of available evidence on GH treatment in SGA children.
  • Analysis of growth outcomes and safety data.
  • Focus on long-term effects and monitoring requirements.

Main Results:

  • GH therapy is consistently shown to be an effective growth-promoting treatment for SGA children.
  • Early initiation of GH treatment yields better growth outcomes.
  • Side effects are generally uncommon, but monitoring is crucial.

Conclusions:

  • GH treatment is a validated therapeutic option for promoting growth in children born SGA.
  • Close monitoring for metabolic and cardiovascular parameters, especially during puberty, is essential.
  • Further long-term studies are needed to fully elucidate treatment effects.

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...
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...
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...
Polygenic Traits01:18

Polygenic Traits

When more than one gene is responsible for a given phenotype, the trait is considered polygenic. Human height is a polygenic trait. Studies have uncovered hundreds of loci that influence height, and there are believed to be many more. Due to the high number of genes involved, as well as environmental and nutritional factors, height varies significantly within a given population. The distribution of height forms a bell-shaped curve, with relatively few individuals in the population at the...