Treatment of pituitary dwarfism with biosynthetic growth hormone.

Over 3 1/2 years, 54 previously untreated hypopituitary children were enrolled in three studies; 48 had idiopathic pituitary dwarfism. Three preparations of somatrem were used (SI, SII, Somatonorm). Growth velocities on all three preparations were similar, though SI and SII tended to produce slightly higher growth velocities. Serum somatomedin and alkaline phosphatase levels increased during treatment. Antibodies to Escherichia coli polypeptide (ECP) increased to a maximum Z score of about 0.7 with SI, but this was considerably lower with SII and below 0.1 with Somatonorm. Anti-hGH antibodies had the highest titre in children treated with SI and these antibodies also had quite high binding capacities. Anti-hGH antibody formation was negligible during Somatonorm treatment.