comparative study of clondine and bromocrytine on growth in some growth-retarded children

ABSTRACT

Children with short stature, but otherwise healthy, and showing a subnormal GH [growth hormone] release to insulin hypoglycemia were evaluated for growth after 3 months of treatment with each of placebo [multivitamin tablet b.i.d.], Clonidine [b.i.d.] or bromocryptine 2.5 mg/d nocte], consecutively. Clonidine significantly increased OH release in these dwarfs, and this was associated with significant increase in height 3 months after treatment Bromocryptine had a mild enhancing effect on linear growth and plasma Gil level, while placebo had no significant effect. It is suggested that clonidine, probably acting centrally to augment hypothothalamic GHRH secretion and consequently GM release, might be more useful agent than bromocryptine in such growth retarded children. The results also suggest that alpha 2-adrenergic dysfunction in hpothalmus is more involved than a dopaminergic disorder 4 disturbing GM release from anterior pituitry with subsequent retardation of growth