Evaluation of Safety and Efficacy of Growth Hormone Therapy by IGF-1 Z Score in Children with Short Stature.

INTRODUCTION

This study aims to explore the safety and efficacy of growth hormone (GH) therapy by retrospectively analyzing the changes of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) Z-scores in children with short stature after treatment with GH.

METHODS

The etiology of 104 children with short stature was classified according to the GH stimulation test and IGF-1 levels: (1) growth hormone deficiency (GHD); (2) mild growth hormone deficiency (M-GHD); (3) idiopathic short stature (ISS); (4) GH insensitivity syndrome (GHIS). In addition, all patients were treated with recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) for 12 months, and the growth rate (Gv), height, body mass, bone age, height standard deviation scores (HtSDS), IGF-1 and adverse reactions were compared among these three groups before and after treatment.

RESULTS

The height, body mass, Gv and HtSDS were significantly higher in each group compared with those before treatment. Furthermore, the Z-score of IGF-1 significantly increased after 1 month of GH treatment and was positively correlated with the dosage of GH. Moreover, the difference in standard deviation score was significantly positively correlated with the increase in standard deviation score of IGF-1.

CONCLUSION

The detection of the GH-IGF-1 axis function can be carried out for the etiologic diagnosis of short stature. IGF-1 increased after rhGH treatment, and IGF-1 level was correlated to the time of therapy and dosage of GH. IGF-1-based GH dosing targeted to age- and gender-adjusted means may save medical costs and offer a more dose-sparing and potentially safer mode of therapy compared with traditional weight-based dosing.