ESPE Abstracts

Background: Being born small for gestational age (SGA) has a negative effect on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and self-perception. This might be more negatively influenced by postponement of puberty using additional gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue (GnRHa) treatment.

Methods: 154 adolescents born SGA participating in a large Dutch growth hormone (GH) trial (75 with 2 years of GnRHa-treatment) completed the TNO-AZL Adults Quality of Life questionnaire, Self-Perception Profile of Adolescents and Child/Adolescent Behaviour Checklist at adult height (AH) attainment. Scores in GH-treated adolescents with GnRHa-treatment (GH/GnRHa group) were compared with GH-treated adolescents without GnRHa treatment (GH/group) and a reference population. In addition, we assessed correlations between HRQoL, self-perception, problem behaviour and adult height (AH).

Results: After a mean of 7.8 years of GH treatment, mean age (SD) at AH was 17.3 (1.3) and 16.7 (1.4)years in the GH/GnRHa and GH group, resp. HRQoL was similar between both groups, and also when compared to reference population, all categories but cognitive function were similar. Self-perception was +0.57 SDS for GH/GnRHa group and +0.68 SDS for GH group regarding behavioural attitude, which was significantly higher in both groups compared to reference population (P<0.001). No significant correlation was found between HRQoL, self-perception, problem behaviour and adult height.

Conclusion: Our study shows that 2 years of GnRHa treatment in addition to GH treatment has no negative effect on HRQoL, self-perception and problem behaviour in early adulthood, compared to a GH-treated group and a reference population.