Growth hormone secretion in children after therapy for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

In eight children, after the termination of therapy for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) the secretion of growth hormone (GH) was determined by the stimulation test with clonidine. The children were treated in the period from 1983 till 1988 and they were administered chemotherapy, intrathecal methotrexate therapy and cranial irradiation 60CO in a dose of 1800 rads. In one case a complete GH deficiency was found, in three cases there was a partial deficiency and in the remaining cases the secretion was regular. No correlation was found between the biochemical values of GH and the clinical stature. There was also no interrelation between the duration of therapy (chemotherapy) and the degree of pituitary gland failure. We have compared the results of GH output in children treated for ALL with those of 44 children in whom short stature was diagnosed. The age in both groups was similar.