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Effects of growth hormone and nutritional therapy in boys with constitutional growth delay: a randomized controlled

Joan C Han1, Ligeia Damaso, Susan Welch

  • 1Division of Endocrinology, Nemours Children's Clinic, Jacksonville, FL 32207, USA.

The Journal of Pediatrics
|October 22, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Nutritional supplementation did not enhance growth hormone therapy in boys with delayed growth. Growth hormone treatment improved growth similarly in boys with constitutional delay of growth and maturation, regardless of added nutrition.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Growth and Development
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • Constitutional delay of growth and maturation (CDGM) is a common cause of short stature in children.
  • Growth hormone (GH) therapy is used to treat various growth disorders.
  • The role of nutritional supplementation in augmenting GH therapy for CDGM requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine if nutritional supplementation enhances the anabolic effects of growth hormone (GH) in boys with CDGM.
  • To assess the impact of combined GH and nutritional therapy on growth parameters and metabolic markers.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized controlled trial involving 20 prepubertal boys with CDGM.
  • Participants were randomized to 6 months of observation or nutritional supplementation.
  • All participants received GH therapy for a subsequent 12 months, with comparisons of energy intake, expenditure, and growth markers.

Main Results:

  • Nutritional supplementation increased energy intake but did not significantly alter total energy expenditure at 6 months.
  • GH therapy increased energy intake and expenditure in the combined GH/nutrition group at 12 months.
  • Height, weight, lean body mass, and hormonal/nutritional markers improved similarly in both groups over 18 months.

Conclusions:

  • Boys with CDGM exhibit an accelerated energy expenditure that is not improved by nutritional supplementation alone.
  • Growth hormone therapy promotes comparable growth in boys with CDGM, irrespective of concurrent nutritional support.
Abstract

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