Abstract
It is generally recognized that over short periods of time normal growth is not stable but rather episodic. In addition to illness and nutrition, there are seasonal influences and other unknown factors which alter growth velocity of normal children. The role of growth hormone in these changes is a moot question. We examined the growth rates of hypopituitary children while on constant therapy with HGH. Thirteen patients with idiopathic HGH deficiency (5-18 years old) were treated for 9 to 36 months with HGH (2 U three times weekly). The growth rate for each patient was carefully measured every 26 to 80 days under controlled conditions and was projected as growth velocity per 365 days (examples given in table). Marked variations of growth rates were noted in each patient which were unrelated to season, intercurrent infection or activity. These data indicate that the normal episodic changes in growth rate are not obliterated by treatment with HGH and probably are not related to variations in growth hormone levels.
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Rezvani, I., Digeorge, A. EPISODIC GROWTH OF CHILDREN WITH HYPOPITUITARISM RECEIVING CONTINUOUS HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE (HGH) THERAPY. Pediatr Res 8, 373 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197404000-00201
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197404000-00201
