Related Experiment Videos
Growth and somatomedin responses to growth hormone in Down's syndrome
Insights
Children with Down's syndrome treated with human growth hormone showed increased growth velocity and insulin-like growth factor levels. This study indicates human growth hormone therapy is effective for growth retardation in Down's syndrome.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Endocrinology
- Genetics
Background:
- Down's syndrome (Trisomy 21) is often associated with growth retardation.
- Standard growth hormone parameters were within normal ranges prior to treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of human growth hormone (hGH) treatment in growth-retarded children with Down's syndrome.
Main Methods:
- Five children with Down's syndrome (aged 3.5-6.5 years) received hGH for six months.
- Growth velocity, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), and insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF-2) serum concentrations were monitored.
Main Results:
- All children experienced increased growth velocity, from 2.3-2.8 cm to 3.3-5.8 cm per six months.
- Pre-treatment low IGF-1 levels increased during hGH therapy.
- Normal IGF-2 levels also increased during treatment.
Conclusions:
- Children with Down's syndrome demonstrate a positive response to human growth hormone treatment.
- hGH therapy effectively increases growth velocity and somatomedin concentrations in this population.
Abstract:
Five growth retarded children with Down's syndrome, three girls and two boys aged between 3 1/2 and 6 1/2 years with trisomy 21, were treated with human growth hormone for six months. Before treatment the growth hormone response to sleep and insulin-arginine load, as well as serum concentrations of insulin, thyroid hormones, and cortisol was found to be in the normal range. During the treatment with human growth hormone the growth velocity increased in all the children with Down's syndrome from 2.3-2.8 cm to 3.3-5.8 cm per six months. The serum concentrations of immunoreactive insulin like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) were low before treatment and increased during the treatment with human growth hormone. The serum concentrations of immunoreactive insulin like growth factor 2 (IGF-2), which were within the normal range, however, increased during treatment with human growth hormone. Children with Down's syndrome respond to treatment with human growth hormone, with an increase in both growth velocity and serum somatomedin concentrations.