Three-Year Growth Response to Growth Hormone Treatment in Very Young Children Born Small for Gestational Age—Data from KIGS

Context: Children born small for gestational age (SGA) with poor growth during the first years of life may remain short in stature during childhood and as adults. Objective: To evaluate the 3-year growth response to GH treatment in very young short children born SGA, and to test the existing predictions models for growth response developed for older SGA children. Setting: KIGS (The Pfizer International Growth Database). Patients: A total of 620 SGA children (birth length and/or weight below −2 SD score [SDS]) on GH treatment, 156 in the 2- to 4-year-old group (100 boys; median age, 3.3 y), and 464 in the 4- to 6-year-old group (284 boys; median age, 4.9 y). Results: Median values and 10th-90th percentiles are presented. Both groups presented a significant increase in height velocity during GH treatment. Median height SDS increased from −3.9 (−5.4 to −2.9) at the start to −2.2 (−3.8 to −1.0) at 3 years in the 2- to 4-year-old group (P < .01) and from −3.4 (−4.5 to −2.6) to −2.0 (−3.3 to −0.9) in the 4- to ...