Daily subcutaneous administration of human growth hormone in growth hormone deficient children

Sixteen children (10 boys, 6 girls) on treatment for some years with i.m. injections twice or thrice weekly of human growth hormone (hGH; Crescormon Kabi Vitrum), participated in a prospective study. The weekly amount of hGH (8, 12, or 16 IU) was kept the same in each child, but divided into daily (7) s.c. injections at bedtime. The growth rate increased in all children during the first year on s.c. daily hGH (5.3 to 7.4 cm/year; 1.95 to 4.27 SDS). This increased growth rate did not persist during the second year on daily s.c. hGH, but an increased growth rate did not persist during the second year on daily s.c. hGH, but an increased predicted final height was found. The plasma profile of hGH was followed: i.m. injected hGH gave mostly a high (200 mU/l) plasma level of some hours (wide intra- and interpatient variation), and s.c. injected hGH a lower max level of longer duration (wide inter patient variation). The daily s.c. regimen of hGH was extremely well accepted by the children and their parents and no GH-antibodies or other adverse effects were found. We recommend daily s.c. injection of hGH as an alternative in the treatment of GH-deficient children.