Comparison of short-term lower leg growth with statural growth in children treated with growth promoting substances.

Lower leg growth was determined by knemometry in 11 children with short stature, before and during therapy with growth promoting drugs. The growth response of lower leg length was determined by comparing growth velocities over periods of 6 weeks. The growth response of total body height was determined by comparing the growth velocity during 3 months of therapy with the growth velocity over 1 year before therapy. Significant knemometric growth responses were always associated with positive height responses, but smaller knemometric responses were associated with positive as well as negative height responses.