Increase of jump performance during GH treatment in short children born SGA

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Endocrinology
• Human Physiology
• Growth Disorders

Background:

• Children born small for gestational age (SGA) often exhibit reduced muscle mass and strength.
• Maximal isometric grip-force (MIGF) studies indicate lower muscle strength in SGA children.
• Jumping, a common activity, offers an alternative measure of muscle function in children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of growth hormone (GH) treatment on jumping strength in short SGA children.
• To assess changes in jumping performance using mechanography before and during GH therapy.
• To evaluate if GH treatment can enhance functional muscle strength in this population.

Main Methods:

• A monocentric prospective longitudinal study involved 50 prepubertal short SGA children.
• Peak jump force (PJF) and peak jump power (PJP) were measured using a force plate (mechanography).
• Measurements were taken at baseline and after 12 months of GH treatment (mean dose 45 µg/kg/d), compared to normative data.

Main Results:

• Peak jump power relative to body weight (PJP/kg) significantly increased from -1.52 SDS to -0.95 SDS (p<0.001) after 12 months of GH treatment.
• Peak jump force (PJF) remained unchanged relative to height-dependent references.
• Peak jump power (PJP) showed a slight increase from -0.34 to -0.19 SDS_HT compared to height-dependent references.

Conclusions:

• Jumping performance, specifically the Esslinger-Fitness-Index (EFI), significantly improved in short SGA children undergoing GH treatment.
• Mechanography-based jumping assessment demonstrates that GH therapy enhances functional muscle strength in this cohort.
• GH treatment positively impacts the dynamic muscle capabilities of children born SGA.