Growth hormone secretory status evaluated by growth hormone peak after two pharmacological growth hormone release stimuli did not significantly influence the two-year catch-up growth induced by growth hormone therapy in 318 prepubertal short children with idiopathic growth retardation.

Background/Aims: In prepubertal short children with idiopathic growth retardation, growth hormone (GH) peak after GH release stimuli classifies patients as growth hormone-deficient (GHD) or non-GHD. This study compared a 2-year growth response to GH therapy in 318 prepubertal short children. Methods: Patients were classified as: severe GHD (GH peaks <5 ng/ml after 2 stimuli; n = 54), mild GHD (GH peaks <10 ng/ml, but one or two between 5 and 10 ng/ml; n = 140), dissociated GH release (GH peak ng/ml after 1 stimulus and <10 ng/ml after the other; n = 89), and normal GH release (GH peaks >= 10 ng/ml after 2 stimuli; n = 35). Results: Two-year height gain did not differ statistically among the 4 groups: 1.39 +/- 0.51 SD, 16.4 +/- 2.3 cm; 1.23 +/- 0.56 SD, 15.8 +/- 2.1 cm; 1.18 +/- 0.53 SD, 15.3 +/- 2.0 cm, and 1.14 +/- 0.53 SD, 15.4 +/- 2.0 cm, respectively, as was also the case for bone age gain: 2.5 +/- 0.6, 2.4 +/- 0.7, 2.6 +/- 0.7 and 2.3 +/- 0.5 years, respectively. Conclusions: Our results suggest that GH release stimuli are of little help for deciding on GH therapy in the clinical management of prepubertal short children with idiopathic growth retardation, while well-defined anthropometric and biochemical criteria may be useful. Copyright (C) 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel