Egyptian growth hormone deficient patients: demographic, auxological characterization and response to growth hormone therapy.

OBJECTIVE

To study growth response to growth hormone (GH) treatment in growth hormone-deficient (GHD) patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In total, 477 GHD children were included in the study. Patients were followed up for a minimum of 1 year and up to 6 years, anthropometric assessment was performed every 3 months, while thyroid profile was followed every 6 months. Student's t-test was used for analysis of two quantitative variables.

RESULTS

Patients with complete GHD and multiple pituitary hormone deficiency were significantly shorter as expressed in their height standard deviation score (SDS), target height - height (SDS) and a more bone age delay. Patients with complete GHD showed better growth response compared with those with partial GHD in the first 2 years of therapy.

CONCLUSION

We conclude that anthropometric assessment is the cornerstone in GHD diagnosis and follow-up, where catch up growth occurs in the first 2 years of therapy followed by a plateau.