CONCLUSIONS Growth hormone therapy in children with idiopathic short stature seems to be effective in partially reducing the deficit in height as adults , although the magnitude of effectiveness is on average less than that achieved in other conditions for which growth hormone is licensed .
OBJECTIVE To systematic ally determine the impact of growth hormone therapy on adult height of children with idiopathic short stature .
Dose-dependent effect of growth hormone on final height in children with short stature without growth hormone deficiency.
CONTEXT The effect of GH therapy in short non-GH-deficient children , especially those with idiopathic short stature ( ISS ) , has not been clearly established owing to the lack of controlled trials continuing until final height ( FH ) . OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to investigate the effect on growth to FH of two GH doses given to short children , mainly with ISS , compared with untreated controls . DESIGN AND SETTING A r and omized , controlled , long-term multicenter trial was conducted in Sweden . INTERVENTION Two doses of GH ( Genotropin ) were administered , 33 or 67 microg/kg.d ; control subjects were untreated . SUBJECTS A total of 177 subjects with short stature were enrolled . Of these , 151 were included in the intent to treat ( AllITT ) population , and 108 in the per protocol ( AllPP ) population . Analysis of ISS subjects included 126 children in the ITT ( ISSITT ) population and 68 subjects in the PP ( ISSPP ) population . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES We measured FH sd score ( SDS ) , difference in SDS to midparenteral height ( diff MPHSDS ) , and gain in heightSDS . RESULTS After 5.9+/-1.1 yr on GH therapy , the FHSDS in the AllPP population treated with GH vs. controls was -1.5+/-0.81 ( 33 microg/kg.d , -1.7+/-0.70 ; and 67 microg/kg.d , -1.4+/-0.86 ; P<0.032 ) , vs. -2.4+/-0.85 ( P<0.001 ) ; the diff MPHSDS was -0.2+/-1.0 vs. -1.0+/-0.74 ( P<0.001 ) ; and the gain in heightSDS was 1.3+/-0.78 vs. 0.2+/-0.69 ( P<0.001 ) . GH therapy was safe and had no impact on time to onset of puberty . A dose-response relationship identified after 1 yr remained to FH for all growth outcome variables in all four population s. CONCLUSION GH treatment significantly increased FH in ISS children in a dose-dependent manner , with a mean gain of 1.3 SDS ( 8 cm ) and a broad range of response from no gain to 3 SDS compared to a mean gain of 0.2 SDS in the untreated controls
CONCLUSIONS Growth hormone therapy in children with idiopathic short stature seems to be effective in partially reducing the deficit in height as adults , although the magnitude of effectiveness is on average less than that achieved in other conditions for which growth hormone is licensed .
OBJECTIVE To systematic ally determine the impact of growth hormone therapy on adult height of children with idiopathic short stature .