Clinical and demographic characteristics of pediatric patients with growth hormone treatment

Clinical And Demographic Characteristics of Pediatric Patients With Growth Hormone Treatment Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical, demographic characteristics, and response to growth hormone treatment of patients with growth hormone therapy for short stature. Material and Methods: The file records of 192 patients, who were followed up by Çukurova University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatric Endocrinology and onset of growth hormone therapy between 01.01.2010 and 31.12.2020, were analyzed retrospectively. Anthropometric data of the patients, response to treatment, and factors affecting growth hormone treatment were analyzed. Results: A total of 192 patients, 100 (52.1%) male, and 92 (47.9%) female, were included in the study. The mean age at presentation was 8.91±4.54 years, and the mean age at onset of treatment was 10.35±3.96 years. 128 (66.7%) had isolated growth hormone deficiency, 17 (8.9%) multiple pituitary hormone deficiency, 30 (15.6%) Turner syndrome, 17 (8%) 9) had other was diagnosed. The mean height SDS before treatment was -3.53±1.34, follow-up time was 4.51±3.15 years, and treatment duration was 2.81±2.22 years. 63 of 192 patients reached the final height, and the mean final height was 149.89±15.7 cm, and the mean final height SDS was -2.16±1.51. The mean age at the final height was 15.52±2.57 years. Conclusion: While the age of onset of treatment was effective on height SDS in the first and third years of treatment, no significant relationship was found with final height. It was found that the pre-treatment height SDS value was correlated with the first, second, third year, and final height SDS values of the treatment. There is also a relationship between the initial dose of growth hormone and height SDS in the first year of treatment and final height SDS. The affecting factors of the final height SDS value were admission height SDS, admission body weight SDS, pre-treatment bone age, pre-treatment height SDS, the initial dose of growth hormone, and growth velocity in the first year of treatment.