Growth Hormone Treatment for Short Children Born Small for Gestational Age.

Growth Hormone Treatment for Short Children Born Small for Gestational Age. Pediatr Endocrinol Rev. 2018 Sep;16(Suppl 1):105-112 Authors: de Andre Cardoso-Demartini A, Malaquias AC, da Silva Boguszewski MC Abstract Despite the difficulty to define born small for gestational age (SGA), being SGA has been associated with a higher risk of short stature, early-onset and rapid progression of puberty, neurocognitive dysfunctions, alterations in body composition, bone density, glucose and lipid metabolism and increased risk for cardiovascular diseases later in life. The majority of children born SGA experience spontaneous catch-up growth during the first years of life. For those who remain with short stature, treatment with recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) may be initiated, preferably after 2-4 years of age. Response to treatment is variable. However, the benefits of rhGH go beyond increase in stature as the therapy may also improve body composition. In this review we will cover the indication and effects of GH therapy in short children born SGA. PMID: 30378788 [PubMed - in process]
Source: Pediatric Endocrinology Reviews - Category: Endocrinology Tags: Pediatr Endocrinol Rev Source Type: research