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The effect of different growth hormone administration frequencies on growth in growth hormone-deficient patients
L Cavallo1, F De Luca, S Bernasconi
1Department of Biomedicine of Developing Age, University of Bari, Italy.
Insights
Continuous subcutaneous growth hormone administration via pump did not improve growth velocity in children with growth hormone deficiency compared to daily injections. A 3 times/week schedule also showed no negative growth effects.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Growth Hormone Therapy
- Metabolic Disorders
Background:
- Children with isolated growth hormone deficiency often require long-term treatment.
- Optimizing growth hormone administration methods is crucial for treatment efficacy.
- Previous studies established the efficacy of daily subcutaneous growth hormone injections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate if pump-administered continuous and intermittent subcutaneous growth hormone improves growth in prepubertal children.
- To assess the impact of a 3 times/week growth hormone treatment schedule on growth compared to 6 injections/week.
Main Methods:
- Two studies were conducted in prepubertal children (bone age ≤8 years) with isolated growth hormone deficit.
- Study A compared pump administration (continuous + intermittent) with single daily injections over 6 months each.
- Study B compared a 3 times/week treatment schedule with a 6 times/week schedule.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in IGF-I levels, growth velocity, or bone age advancement were observed between pump and daily injection methods (Study A).
- No negative effects on auxological parameters were found when growth hormone was administered 3 times/week versus 6 times/week (Study B).
Conclusions:
- Combining continuous and intermittent subcutaneous growth hormone administration via pump does not enhance growth velocity over daily injections.
- Administering growth hormone 3 times/week, particularly from the third year of therapy, appears safe and does not negatively impact growth compared to 6 injections/week.
Unlabelled:
In two different groups of clinically prepubertal children (bone age
In Conclusion:
Our treatment, consisting of the association of continuous and intermittent subcutaneous growth hormone administration, did not improve growth velocity with respect to single daily subcutaneous injection; the growth hormone administration 3 times/week, starting at the 3rd year of substitutive therapy or later, seems to have no negative effect on growth with respect to 6 injections/week.