Timing of Puberty, Pubertal Growth, and Adult Height in Short Children Born Small for Gestational Age Treated With...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Endocrinology
• Growth and Development
• Hormone Therapy

Background:

• Growth hormone (GH) is a standard treatment for children born small for gestational age (SGA).
• The long-term effects of GH therapy on pubertal timing and final adult height in SGA children are not well-documented.
• Understanding these outcomes is crucial for optimizing treatment strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of GH treatment on adult height and peak height velocity in short children born SGA.
• To assess the effects on pubertal onset and age at peak height velocity compared to a reference population.

Main Methods:

• A prospective longitudinal multicenter study involving 102 short SGA children treated with GH.
• Adult height data from 47 participants were analyzed, compared with a Danish reference cohort.
• Key outcomes included adult height, peak height velocity, age at peak height, and pubertal onset, with pubertal onset standardized using SDS.

Main Results:

• GH treatment led to a significant gain in height SDS in both girls and boys.
• Peak height velocity was lower in GH-treated SGA children compared to the reference cohort for both sexes.
• SGA boys exhibited an earlier onset of puberty compared to the reference cohort, while girls did not show a significant difference.

Conclusions:

• Growth hormone therapy effectively improves adult height in short SGA children.
• While peak height velocity was reduced, the timing of peak height velocity and age at pubertal onset (in girls) were comparable to reference data.
• Early pubertal onset observed in SGA boys warrants further investigation in the context of GH treatment.