Impact of availability of oral hydrocortisone on growth of children with CAH.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: 1. To compare growth parameters of patients with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) managed on Prednisolone (PR) before and on Hydrocortisone (HC) after its availability in India. 2. To compare growth parameters of patients with CAH who have been on treatment with HC since diagnosis with patients managed on PR. METHODS: Growth parameters of twelve children (8 m, 4 f) with congenital adrenal hyperplasia were retrospectively studied while on treatment with prednisolone (PR) earlier and then hydrocortisone (HC) after it became freely available in India. RESULTS: Patients treated with PR had height Z score of -0.42, weight Z score of - 0.45, and height velocity Z score of -2.06. On HC these scores were -0.27, +0.16 and + 2.27. Patients treated with HC from the begining had a height Z Score of + 0.08, weight Z score of +0.22, and height velocity Z score of +0.68. CONCLUSION: Hydrocortisone has a less growth effect than prednisolone and patients treated with HC from the beginning showed near normal growth.