Evaluation of clinical and laboratory parameters during 2 years of growth hormone treatment in prepubertal children with chronic renal failure

Twelve prepubertal children with chronic renal failure (CRF) were treated with human growth hormone (GH) (1.2 IU/kg/week) for 2 years. High doses of GH clearly increased growth velocity, from 3.8 +/- 1.3 to 9.6 +/- 1.5 (P = 0.0001) and 6.9 +/- 0.8 cm/year (P = 0.0001) after the 1st and 2nd year of treatment, respectively, leading to a mean height gain of 1.4 SD. During the Ist year of treatment the height increment, expressed in SDS, correlated negatively with chronological age (P = 0.003). Basal insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF 1) levels were normal or elevated (7/12 patients) and correlated positively with the overnight integrated GH concentration (r = 0.68, P < 0.001). Basal insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGF-BP3) levels were elevated in 8/12 patients. GH induced a significant increase in IGF 1 and IGF-BP3 levels; IGF 1 peaked after 6 months (when growth velocity was optimal) and IGF-BP3 peaked after 12 months. The mean glomerular filtration rate, measured by inulin clearance and corrected for body surface area, fell after the Ist year of treatment, and significantly so at the end of the 2nd year (P = 0.02). Conclusion Early initiation of GH therapy during CRF may prevent severe growth retardation and allow these children to attain normal height before dialysis and transplantation.