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[Growth hormone therapy for children with chronic diseases]

Alexandre M Barreto1, Michele C Bigolin, Juliana C R Rojas Ramos

  • 1Unidade de Endocrinologia Pediátrica, Departamento de Pediatria, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.

Arquivos Brasileiros De Endocrinologia E Metabologia
|September 18, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Growth hormone (GH) therapy shows promise for treating growth retardation in children with chronic diseases. This review highlights encouraging results for GH treatment, even with conditions causing GH insensitivity or steroid-induced growth damage.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Growth Disorders
  • Chronic Disease Management

Context:

  • Children with chronic diseases frequently experience growth disorders due to multifactorial causes.
  • Pro-inflammatory cytokines in conditions like juvenile idiopathic arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease impair growth.
  • Growth hormone (GH) deficiency or insensitivity, alongside treatments like glucocorticoids, exacerbates growth failure.

Purpose:

  • To review the efficacy of growth hormone (GH) therapy in children with chronic diseases and associated growth retardation.
  • To assess the impact of GH treatment on patients with GH insensitivity and those undergoing long-term steroid therapy.

Summary:

  • Growth hormone (GH) therapy is explored as a therapeutic option for growth-retarded children suffering from chronic inflammatory diseases.
  • The review presents positive outcomes of GH treatment, addressing both established indications and areas requiring further investigation.
  • GH therapy aims to mitigate growth damage caused by chronic illness, inflammation, and corticosteroid use.

Impact:

  • Provides evidence supporting the use of GH therapy to improve growth outcomes in pediatric patients with chronic conditions.
  • Informs clinical practice regarding the management of growth failure in complex pediatric cases.
  • Suggests potential benefits of GH treatment in improving quality of life for children affected by chronic diseases.

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