Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 23, 2025

Modeling Encephalopathy of Prematurity Using Prenatal Hypoxia-ischemia with Intra-amniotic Lipopolysaccharide in Rats
07:36

Modeling Encephalopathy of Prematurity Using Prenatal Hypoxia-ischemia with Intra-amniotic Lipopolysaccharide in Rats

Published on: November 20, 2015

11.5K

The Auxological and Metabolic Consequences for Children Born Small for Gestational Age

Wayne Cutfield1, Ahila Ayyavoo2

  • 1Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.

Indian Journal of Pediatrics
|August 18, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Children born small for gestational age (SGA) may experience short stature. Recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) treatment effectively improves adult height, with most achieving normal ranges.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Endocrinology
  • Auxology

Background:

  • Small for gestational age (SGA) is defined by birth size relative to gestational age (≥2 SD below mean).
  • Most SGA children achieve catch-up growth, but many remain shorter than expected based on mid-parental height.
  • Being born SGA is a significant factor contributing to adult short stature.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) in improving adult height in SGA children.
  • To assess the impact of different rhGH dosages on final adult height.
  • To review long-term metabolic consequences associated with being born SGA.

Main Methods:

  • Review of studies on rhGH treatment in SGA children.
  • Comparison of adult height outcomes between conventional and higher rhGH doses.
  • Analysis of cross-sectional data on metabolic health in SGA individuals.

Main Results:

  • rhGH treatment improves adult height in SGA children by approximately 0.9 SDs.
  • A higher rhGH dose (67 μgm/kg/d) did not yield greater adult height than a conventional dose (33 μgm/kg/d).
  • Approximately 85% of SGA children treated with rhGH achieve normal adult height.
  • SGA is associated with long-term metabolic issues including insulin resistance, abdominal adiposity, dyslipidemia, and type 2 diabetes.

Conclusions:

  • rhGH is a safe and effective treatment for improving adult height in SGA children.
  • Conventional rhGH dosing appears sufficient for achieving normal adult height.
  • Children born SGA face increased risks for adverse metabolic sequelae, potentially linked to in utero nutritional restriction.

Keywords:
Growth hormoneMetabolismSGAStature

More Related Videos

A Rat Model of Mild Intrauterine Hypoperfusion with Microcoil Stenosis06:19

A Rat Model of Mild Intrauterine Hypoperfusion with Microcoil Stenosis

Published on: January 7, 2018

10.6K
Author Spotlight: Collecting the Brain and Serum from the Same Mice Fetus to Study Brain Tumor Development05:44

Author Spotlight: Collecting the Brain and Serum from the Same Mice Fetus to Study Brain Tumor Development

Published on: May 17, 2024

798

Related Concept Videos

Inborn Errors of Metabolism01:20

Inborn Errors of Metabolism

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a protein metabolism disorder characterized by high blood levels of the amino acid phenylalanine. This results from a mutation in the gene responsible for phenylalanine hydroxylase, an enzyme that converts phenylalanine into tyrosine. When this enzyme is deficient, phenylalanine builds up in the blood, leading to symptoms such as vomiting, rashes, seizures, growth deficiency, and severe mental retardation. An early diagnosis and a diet restricting phenylalanine intake...
355
Pathophysiology of Diabetes01:20

Pathophysiology of Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia. The four categories of diabetes are type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, other specific types of diabetes, and gestational diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes is characterized by autoimmune-mediated destruction of pancreatic β cells, with environmental factors potentially triggering this process in genetically susceptible individuals. Despite many not having a family history, certain genes increase susceptibility,...
2.2K
Nature and Nurture01:10

Nature and Nurture

Many human characteristics, like height, are shaped by both nature—in other words, by our genes—and by nurture, or our environment. For example, chronic stress during childhood inhibits the production of growth hormones and consequently reduces bone growth and height. Scientists estimate that 70-90% of variation in height is due to genetic differences among individuals, and 10-30% of variation in height is due to differences in the environments that individuals experience,...
21.2K
Teratogenicity01:07

Teratogenicity

The ability of a drug to produce structural deformations and functional abnormalities in the developing embryo or the fetus is called teratogenicity, and the drug producing this effect is known as a teratogen. Teratogenic effects include stillbirth, miscarriage, intrauterine growth restriction, and neurocognitive delay. A teratogen may affect the embryo at different stages of development, which is important in determining the type and extent of the damage. During blastocyst formation, the early...
3.1K
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism01:24

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism

In pediatric care, understanding the nuances of hepatic drug metabolism is crucial, as it significantly differs from that of adults. This divergence is primarily due to the developmental stage of drug-metabolizing enzymes, which affects how medications are processed in the body. In neonates, for instance, the activity of Phase I enzymes—critical for the initial breakdown of drugs—is markedly reduced, functioning at just 20–40% of the levels seen in adults. This reduction poses...
44
Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational01:22

Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational

Type 2 diabetes, characterized by insulin resistance, arises when the insulin receptors on cells lose responsiveness to insulin, diminishing the cell's capacity to take up glucose, resulting in elevated blood glucose levels. To receive a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes, a series of blood glucose tests are necessary to assess whether the blood glucose falls within normal parameters. If the result is out of the normal range, a patient may be diagnosed as prediabetic or diabetic, depending on the...
3.5K