This SR highlights the lack of long-term RCTs reporting final height data and other important qualitative outcomes , such as quality of life .
ABSTRACT Genotropin ( somatropin ) is licensed for the treatment of children with growth hormone deficiency , Prader-Willi syndrome , Turner syndrome , chronic renal insufficiency and in children born small for gestational age .
This systematic review ( SR ) evaluated the clinical efficacy and effectiveness of Genotropin in these conditions to inform a NICE Technology Appraisal of growth hormone for the treatment of growth failure in children .
Growth Hormone Treatment in Short Children with Intrauterine Growth Retardation
The aim of this prospect i ve controlled study was to assess the effect of rhGH in short prepubertal children with intrauterine growth retardation and normal growth hormone status . Twenty-six children were r and omized into treatment ( 12F , 4 M ) and control ( 6F , 4 M ) groups . Mean ages were 5.3 ( 1.3 ) yr and 4.3 ( 1.7 ) yr , respectively .  rhGH ( Genotropin ) was used at a dose of 0.2 IU/kg/day as daily s.c . injections for two years . In the treated group , mean height SDS increased from -3.0 ( 0.5 ) to -1.9 ( 0.7 ) and height velocity SDS showed a significant increase from -1.3 ( 2.0 ) to 3.7 ( 1.8 ) in the first year ( p < 0.001 ) and 1.6 ( 1.8 ) ( p < 0.01 ) in the second year of treatment . In the controls , height SDS , initially -2.7 ( 1.4 ) , and height velocity SDS , initially -0.9 ( 1.1 ) , remained essentially the same during two years of follow-up . Height SDS for bone age changed by 0.6 in the treated group and 0.4 in the control group . Target height SDS -- initial height SDS in the treated group improved by 1.1 SD but declined in the control group . IGF-I levels increased from 9.5 ( 4.2 ) nmol/l ( 72 [ 31.8 ] ng/ml ) to 32.5 ( 27.0 ) nmol/l ( 244.4 [ 202.8 ] ng/ml ) ( p = 0.004 ) in the treated group while no change was observed in the controls . No adverse effects were encountered during rhGH therapy . It was concluded that rhGH treatment induces a significant increase in growth velocity in the short term . This outcome , as opposed to the unchanged indices in the control group over the same period , may be indicative of an improved height prognosis in short children born with intrauterine growth retardation treated with rhGH
This SR highlights the lack of long-term RCTs reporting final height data and other important qualitative outcomes , such as quality of life .
ABSTRACT Genotropin ( somatropin ) is licensed for the treatment of children with growth hormone deficiency , Prader-Willi syndrome , Turner syndrome , chronic renal insufficiency and in children born small for gestational age .
This systematic review ( SR ) evaluated the clinical efficacy and effectiveness of Genotropin in these conditions to inform a NICE Technology Appraisal of growth hormone for the treatment of growth failure in children .