Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 14, 2026

Clinical Protocol of Producing Adipose Tissue-Derived Stromal Vascular Fraction for Potential Cartilage Regeneration
14:49

Clinical Protocol of Producing Adipose Tissue-Derived Stromal Vascular Fraction for Potential Cartilage Regeneration

Published on: September 29, 2018

Growth hormone increases final height in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: data from a randomized

Susanne Bechtold1, Peter Ripperger, Robert Dalla Pozza

  • 1University Children's Hospital, Division of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Munich, Germany. Susanne.Bechtold@med.uni-muenchen.de

The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
|May 31, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Growth hormone (GH) therapy significantly improves final height in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). This long-term treatment offers a beneficial effect on growth for most affected children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Rheumatology
  • Growth Hormone Therapy

Background:

  • Growth hormone (GH) is known to stimulate growth in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).
  • However, the long-term impact of GH therapy on achieving final adult height in these patients remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the long-term efficacy of growth hormone (GH) therapy on final height in growth-retarded children diagnosed with severe forms of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).
  • To assess the influence of disease activity on treatment outcomes and identify potential adverse events.

Main Methods:

  • A controlled study involving 31 growth-retarded children with systemic and polyarticular JIA.
  • 13 patients received GH treatment (0.33 mg/kg/week) for a mean of 6.7 years, while 18 served as an untreated control group.
  • Final height was assessed after a mean observational period of 8.4 years.

Main Results:

  • GH-treated patients achieved a mean height increase of 1.6 SD, while the control group experienced a height loss of -0.7 SD.
  • Mean final height was significantly greater in the GH group (-1.6 SD) compared to the control group (-3.4 SD).
  • More GH-treated patients reached their target height (11/13 vs. 4/18). Moderate disease activity correlated with the best outcomes. No adverse events were reported.

Conclusions:

  • Long-term growth hormone (GH) therapy demonstrates a beneficial effect on final height for the majority of growth-retarded children with severe juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).
  • The positive impact on growth is significant even after adjusting for disease activity, with patients experiencing moderate disease activity showing the most benefit.
Abstract

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...
Hormones and Bone Tissue01:17

Hormones and Bone Tissue

The endocrine system produces and secretes hormones, which interact with the skeletal system. These hormones control bone growth, maintain bone once it is formed, and remodel it.
Hormones That Influence Osteoblasts and/or Maintain the Matrix
Several hormones are necessary for controlling bone growth and maintaining the bone matrix. The pituitary gland secretes growth hormone (GH), which, as its name implies, controls bone growth. This happens in several ways: first, it triggers chondrocyte...
Growth of Cartilage and Bone Tissue01:27

Growth of Cartilage and Bone Tissue

Chondrocytes form a temporary cartilaginous model by dividing and secreting a thick gel-like extracellular matrix. Once the chondrocytes undergo programmed cell death, osteoblasts enter the site of the cartilaginous model. The process of replacing the temporary cartilaginous model with bone in an ordered manner is called endochondral ossification. In endochondral ossification, not all of the cartilage is replaced by bone tissue. Some cartilage that performs a protective and supportive function...
Signs of Puberty01:27

Signs of Puberty

Puberty is a critical phase, typically beginning between the ages of 8 and 13 in girls and 9 and 14 in boys, though timing can vary based on genetics, environmental factors, and overall health. This period is characterized by the development of secondary sexual characteristics and the attainment of reproductive potential. Endocrine changes underpin puberty, with hormonal surges of Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) instigated by Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH)...
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...
Role of Hematopoietic Growth Factors01:28

Role of Hematopoietic Growth Factors

Hematopoietic growth factors are molecules that regulate the differentiation rate of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Erythropoietin (EPO), primarily produced by the kidneys, plays a crucial role in erythrocyte production. When oxygen levels in the blood are low, EPO is released into the bloodstream, reaching the bone marrow, where it stimulates HSCs to differentiate and mature into erythrocytes, which are vital for oxygen transport.
Thrombopoietin (TPO), mainly released by the liver,...