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Updated: May 8, 2026
Comparative Analysis of Human Growth Hormone in Serum Using SPRi, Nano-SPRi and ELISA Assays
Published on: January 7, 2016
Comparison of weight- vs body surface area-based growth hormone dosing for children: implications for response
Ian P Hughes1, Mark Harris, Andrew Cotterill
1Mater Medical Research Institute, Herston, Qld, Australia.
Insights
Growth hormone (GH) dosing in children can be accurately converted between weight-based and body surface area (BSA)-based formats. BSA-based dosing may lead to reduced height response in heavier children compared to weight-based dosing.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Pharmacokinetics
- Growth Hormone Therapy
Background:
- Growth hormone (GH) dosing in pediatric patients is critical for effective treatment.
- Current dosing strategies utilize weight-based (mg/kg/week) and body surface area (BSA)-based (mg/m²/week) formats.
- Understanding the conversion and comparative efficacy of these formats is essential for optimizing treatment outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare weight-based versus BSA-based GH dosing in children.
- To develop a reliable conversion formula between weight-based and BSA-based GH dosing.
- To analyze the impact of each dosing format on first-year growth response.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a large dataset (>33,000 doses) from the Australian national database (OZGROW).
- Derived and validated conversion formulae for GH dosing between mg/kg/week and mg/m²/week.
- Compared first-year growth velocity (GV) and height standard deviation score (SDS) changes between weight- and BSA-based dosing.
Main Results:
- A weight-only BSA estimation formula accurately converts GH doses (mean residual, 0.005 mg/kg/week).
- A constant mg/m²/week dose translates to a decreasing mg/kg/week dose as body weight increases.
- Australian children receiving BSA-based dosing showed a greater decline in first-year GV compared to weight-based dosing, particularly as they gained weight.
Conclusions:
- Accurate conversion between weight- and BSA-based GH dosing formats is feasible.
- BSA-based GH dosing may result in diminished height response in heavier children compared to weight-based dosing.
- This highlights potential differences in therapeutic efficacy based on the chosen dosing metric.
Objective:
To compare weight (per kg)- vs body surface area (BSA, per m(2) )-based growth hormone (GH) dosing formats in children and to derive a useful conversion formula between the two formats.
Patients And Design:
Growth hormone doses (>33,000) from 1874 children were obtained from the national Australian database (OZGROW) and used to derive conversion formulae and to confirm the accuracy of a conversion formula based on a weight-only BSA estimate. A further 27,000 doses were used to test the accuracy of all formulae. The best conversion formula was used to compare weight- and surface area-based GH dosing, which included an analysis of first year response (∆SDS height or growth velocity, GV).
Measurements:
Growth hormone doses in mg/m(2) /wk and mg/kg/wk, dose estimates, residuals, first year ∆SDS, first year GV.
Results:
The formula, [Formula: see text] based on a weight-only BSA estimate, provides accurate dose conversion (mean residual, 0·005 mg/kg/week). A constant mg/m(2) /week dose expressed in terms of mg/kg/week declines quickly with increasing body weight to approximately 15 kg after which the decline continues although less dramatically. For Australian patients, despite an increase in mean per m(2) dose with increased starting weight/age, the per kg dose decreased. This was associated with a greater decline in first year GV than estimated if a per kg dose had been maintained.
Conclusions:
Growth hormone doses can be accurately converted between formats. Surface area-based GH dosing is likely to result in a reduced height response as children become heavier when compared with weight-based GH dosing.
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