Effects of China-made recombinant human growth hormone on the treatment of growth hormone deficiency / 中国医学科学杂志(英文版)

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the therapeutic effect of China-made recombinant human growth hormone (r-hGH) in children with growth hormone deficiency (GHD) and to investigate the utilities of various biochemical parameters in GHD diagnosis and treatment.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Our study comprises of 30 normal children and 71 GHD children treated with China-made r-hGH substitution therapy 0.1 IU x kg(-1) x d(-1) for 6 months. Serum insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3), bone turnover markers (Ost, ICTP), and anti-growth hormone antibody (GHAb) were detected before and after r-hGH treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After the first 3 and 6 months of treatment, growth velocities of GHD children were significantly increased (13.1 +/- 3.7 and 12.6 +/- 3.6 cm/year) compared with pretreatment values (2.9 +/- 0.8 cm/year, P < 0.01). GHD Children had obviously reduced serum levels of IGF-1, IGFBP-3, and bone turnover markers (Ost, ICTP) compared with normal controls (P < 0.01), and these biochemical parameters improved significantly after treatment (P < 0.01). Growth hormone antibodies were positive in 17 of 45 cases after treatment by binding capacity detection. The binding percentage of growth hormone antibody which was increased more than 30% after the treatment showed a negative correlation with growth velocity (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>(1) The growth stimulating effect and safety were confirmed in using China-made r-hGH in the treatment of GHD children for 6 months. (2) The measurements of serum IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 may serve as useful parameters in the diagnosis of GHD. (3) Serum Ost and ICTP are useful laboratory criteria for evaluating the effect of r-hGH therapy in the early stage. (4) It is necessary to monitor serum levels of GHAb during r-hGH therapy.</p>