A longitudinal study on growth and spontaneous growth hormone (GH) secretion in children with irradiated brain tumors

Longitudinal growth was studied in 27 children after radiotherapy for a brain tumor. Growth deviation (greater than or equal to 1 SD) was found in 56% of the children after 2 years and was most profound in prepubertal children aged between 3 and 8 years at the time of irradiation. In this group growth velocity was markedly reduced and no catch up was seen. In all children studied growth hormone (GH) secretion, measured as the spontaneous secretion over 24 hours, was found to be severely disturbed. Our conclusion is that all children with a growth deviation greater than or equal to 1 SD after radiotherapy (greater than or equal to 40 Gy) to the hypothalamo-hypophyseal region should be considered GH deficient. In such children GH treatment can be initiated without further testing.