Growth hormone treatment in children before and after renal transplantation.

Growth failure is a major problem for many children with chronic renal disease. For approximately 75% of pediatric renal allograft recipients final height falls below the third percentile. In the intermediate term, recombinant human growth hormone (GH) therapy at a dose of 28-30/m2/week accelerates growth significantly in patients with growth retardation secondary to chronic renal failure and after renal transplantation, without evidence of adverse effects or acceleration of bone maturation. Therefore, GH therapy may well improve final height of these patients.