ESPE Abstracts

Objective: To analyze the efficacy of GH treatment in pediatric patients in a hospital from 1982 to 2013.

Material and methods: Retrospective study whose population are patients who have been or are being treated with GH in a Tertiary Hospital. The following data were collected: indication of treatment, years of treatment, genetic target height, height at start and the end of treatment, with their corresponding S.D.. A simple linear regression model was applied to explore the effect of duration of treatment with GH (measured in years) in the increase of height (S.D. of stature in last visit − S.D. of stature at start). In patients with treatment completed, treatment success, measured as the difference between the S.D. of Adult Height reached and the S.D. of genetic target height, was analyzed.

Results: Data from 162 patients (58.6% boys) were obtained. GH treatment was indicated for GH deficiency in a 36.4, 33.3% for small for gestational age (SGA), 23.5% for Turner syndrome and 6.8% for Prader–Willi. 57 patients had completed the treatment. Treatment was withdrawn due to side effects in two cases (1.2%; epiphysiolysis and intracranial hypertension). Final height was more than 1 S.D. below the genetic target height, in 8.5% of children treated because of GH deficiency, 5.5% of PEG and 23.7% of Turner. The regression model applied to the whole group of treated patients or in treatment shows significant association between treatment duration and variable gain of Talla in all diagnostic groups (except S.D. Prader–Willi) the resulting predictive equations are: all treatments: DE height gain=0.87+0.17 siloxanes of treatment (P<0.01, r²=0.23), GH deficiency: DE height gain=1.04+0.19 siloxanes of treatment (P<0.01, r²=0.25), PEG: DE height gain=0.82+0.16 siloxanes of treatment (P<0.01, r²=0.14).

Conclusions: GH treatment in children is safe and effective in the vast majority of patients. Treatment duration is associated with a significant gain of stature. The simple regression model obtained, applied to all patients studied, explains 23% (r²=23) the increase of the size obtained.