Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 7, 2025
Comparative Analysis of Human Growth Hormone in Serum Using SPRi, Nano-SPRi and ELISA Assays
Published on: January 7, 2016
Response to Recombinant Human Growth Hormone Therapy in Short Children Born at Very Low Birth Weight
Thais Kataoka Homma1,2, Naiara Castelo Branco Dantas1,2, Bruna Lucheze Freire2
1Unidade de Endocrinologia Genética, Laboratório de Endocrinologia Celular e Molecular LIM25, Disciplina de Endocrinologia da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (FMUSP), São Paulo, Brazil.
Insights
Recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) therapy shows suboptimal response in very low birth weight (VLBW) children. However, long-term treatment may improve adult height, necessitating tailored protocols for VLBW patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Endocrinology
- Neonatology
Background:
- Clinical benefits of rhGH in SGA children are established.
- Outcomes of rhGH therapy in VLBW populations are less understood.
- VLBW patients present unique challenges for growth hormone treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate short- and long-term rhGH therapy response in VLBW patients.
- To compare rhGH treatment outcomes across VLBW subgroups (size, GA, etiology).
- To identify predictors of growth response in VLBW children.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 33 VLBW patients treated with rhGH (16 also received GnRHa).
- Assessment of growth velocity and height SDS changes after 1 year of rhGH.
- Collection of adult height SDS data for 23 patients after long-term therapy (6.7 ± 3.3 years).
Main Results:
- First-year growth velocity (7.5 ± 2.1 cm/year) aligned with SGA prediction models.
- Height SDS improved from -3.0 ± 1.1 to -2.6 ± 1.3 after 1 year, with no subgroup differences.
- 73.9% of patients reaching adult height remained short (-2.5 ± 1.3 SDS).
Conclusions:
- rhGH treatment response was suboptimal in VLBW patients, irrespective of size, GA, or etiology.
- Adult height may be improved with rhGH treatment in VLBW individuals.
- Further research and tailored protocols are needed to optimize rhGH therapy outcomes in VLBW populations.
Introduction:
Although the clinical benefits of long-term recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) therapy have been well demonstrated in children born small for gestational age (SGA), little is known about the outcomes of this therapy in children born with very low birth weight (VLBW). This study aimed to report the short- and long-term response to rhGH therapy in a cohort of VLBW patients, comparing subgroups according to size, gestational age (GA), and causal factors associated with VLBW.
Methods:
We describe 33 patients born at VLBW treated with rhGH; 16 also received GnRHa. Medical records were analyzed at baseline and after 1 year of rhGH treatment. Data on the adult height SDS from 23 patients were also collected. Growth velocities and height SDS changes were calculated, along with the differences between the observed and predicted growth velocities.
Results:
The first-year growth velocity (7.5 ± 2.1 cm/year) was aligned with prediction models for SGA children. After 1 year of rhGH treatment, height SDS improved from -3.0 ± 1.1 to -2.6 ± 1.3, with no differences among subgroups. Among patients reaching adult height, 73.9% remained short (-2.5 ± 1.3) after long-term therapy (6.7 ± 3.3 years). The initial height SDS, height SDS change in the first year of treatment, and target height SDS were key independent predictors of height gain.
Conclusion:
The response to rhGH treatment was suboptimal in the VLBW group, independent of the size, GA, or etiological diagnosis. However, adult height may be improved in patients receiving rhGH treatment. This underscores the need for tailored protocols and further investigations to optimize outcomes in this population.
Related Concept Videos
01:10Nature and Nurture
01:16Insulin: Dosing Regimen and Adverse Effects
The basal dose constitutes about 40%-50% of the total daily dose, with the rest as premeal insulin. The mealtime insulin dose should mirror...
01:15Hypoglycemia and Glucagon
01:17Hormones and Bone Tissue
Hormones That Influence Osteoblasts and/or Maintain the Matrix
Several hormones are necessary for controlling bone growth and maintaining the bone matrix. The pituitary gland secretes growth hormone (GH), which, as its name implies, controls bone growth. This happens in several ways: first, it triggers chondrocyte...
01:22Target Cell Response to Hormones
Notably, the cellular response can be regulated by altering the number of receptors expressed in the cell. For example, prolonged exposure to elevated hormone levels results in a gradual decline or down-regulation in the number of receptors for that specific hormone on the cell surface. Conversely, in response to low hormone levels, cells may use up-regulation, producing an...
01:27Signs of Puberty