Klin Farmakol Farm. 2011;25(1):18-23

Growth hormone therapy in pediatrics. Past and Present

Jan Lebl¹, Jiřina Zapletalová²

¹ Pediatrická klinika UK 2. LF a FN v Motole, Praha

² Dětská klinika UP a FN, Olomouc

Growth hormone was firstly used in therapy in 1957. Up to mid-1980s, it was exclusively extracted from human cadaverous pituitary

glands. Recombinant products have been marketed since 1985. Besides of classic indication of hormone replacement in children with

growth hormone deficiency, growth hormone is additionally approved for therapy of growth hormone deficiency in adults, of girls with

Turner syndrome, of children with chronic renal failure, Prader-Willi syndrome, growth failure as a consequence of intrauterine growth

retardation (SGA/IUGR) and SHOX deficiency. All these indications have been approved following studies of efficacy and safety. The

safety issues were reopened after a release of French SAGhE study in December 2010. However, published data are regarded as preliminary

and require further re-evaluation.

Keywords: growth hormone, growth hormone deficiency, Turner syndrome, SGA/IUGR, Prader-Willi syndrome, SHOX deficiency

Published: March 18, 2011  Show citation