Growth Hormone Treatment and Long-Term Growth Prediction in Children
Author Information
Author(s): Kriström Berit, Dahlgren Jovanna, Niklasson Aimon, Nierop Andreas FM, Albertsson-Wikland Kerstin
Primary Institution: Göteborg Pediatric Growth Research Center, Institute for Clinical Science, The Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg
Hypothesis
The observed first-year growth response to a certain dose of GH in prepubertal children would provide enough information to construct a reliable prediction model for future growth response.
Conclusion
The model based on the observed first-year growth response on GH is valid worldwide for predicting up to 7 years of prepubertal growth in children.
Supporting Evidence
- The model was validated using data from 205 other children with similar inclusion criteria.
- The prediction model can be applied to children born prematurely and those from different continents.
- The model's accuracy was confirmed with a low model error of less than 0.1 SDS/year for the entire 7-year period.
Takeaway
Doctors can use how much a child grows in the first year of growth hormone treatment to guess how much they will grow in the next several years.
Methodology
The study used growth response data from 162 prepubertal children treated with a GH dose of 33 μg/kg/d to construct a prediction model.
Limitations
The model is currently only validated for a GH dose close to 33 μg/kg/d.
Participant Demographics
The model group comprised 19% girls, 80% GH-deficient, and 23% born small for gestational age (SGA).
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
± 0.34 SDS for the second treatment year growth response.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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