Effects of long-term growth hormone releasing hormone 1-29 in significantly short children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Endocrinology
• Growth Hormone Therapy
• Short Stature Research

Background:

• Significant idiopathic short stature (SISS) affects children with heights below the third percentile.
• Normal growth hormone (GH) levels are observed in some children with SISS, suggesting alternative treatment needs.
• Understanding treatment efficacy for SISS is crucial for pediatric growth management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GH-RH) in children with SISS.
• To assess growth response rates in pediatric patients treated with GH-RH.
• To determine the duration of effective treatment for SISS using GH-RH.

Main Methods:

• Seven children with SISS (height SD score -2.5 to -3.5) received GH-RH at 30 micrograms/kg/day.
• Therapy was discontinued if growth rate increase was less than 2.0 cm/year.
• Treatment duration was monitored up to 24 months.

Main Results:

• Two patients discontinued treatment after 12 months due to insufficient growth response.
• Five patients continued GH-RH treatment for 24 months, showing sustained growth.
• The study indicates variable but positive growth responses in SISS patients treated with GH-RH.

Conclusions:

• GH-RH therapy can be effective for some children with significant idiopathic short stature.
• Sustained growth was observed in a majority of patients over a two-year treatment period.
• Further research is warranted to identify predictors of response to GH-RH in SISS.