ESPE Abstracts

Background: GH treatment aims to normalise growth, increasing growth velocity, thus helping patients achieve an adult height in the normal range for the general population and for their familial genetic potential.

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of early replacement therapy with recombinant GH (rGH) in Caucasian pre-pubertal children treated for GH deficiency.

Methods: Our study included 64 boys and 49 girls, diagnosed with partial or total GH deficiency that attained their final height. None of them suffered from organic hypopituitarism. At least two standard GH stimulation assays were performed in each patient. All children had received rGH 0.15 mg/kg per week. Boys and girls were assigned to one of four categories according to the age of rGH initiation. Target height was predicted according to the Tanner et al. equation.

Results and conclusions: The mean adult height in boys aged <10 years at treatment initiation was 1.83±1.028 SDS (average height 160.08±5.226 cm) and compared favourably to the Tanner target height, as the mean difference between final and target height was −3.22±6.63 cm. Younger patients with marked bone age delay had better outcomes. On the contrary, for boys that aged 12–14 and >14 years at treatment initiation, the mean final height was significantly lower than target height (mean difference −13±4 and −8.625±7.360 cm respectively). In the girl group, although final height measurements were within the normal adult height range, the results concerning the effect of early treatment were inconclusive. Thus, early rGH initiation appears to have a favourable effect on target height in boys, whereas in girls other factors, e.g. estrogens may affect the results.