Egyptian growth hormone deficient patients: demographic, auxological characterization and response to growth hormone therapy

OBJECTIVE: To study growth response to growth hormone (GH) treatment in growth hormone-deficient (GHD) patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In total, 477 GHD children were included in the study. Patients were followed up for a minimum of 1 year and up to 6 years, anthropometric assessment was performed every 3 months, while thyroid profile was followed every 6 months. Student's t-test was used for analysis of two quantitative variables. RESULTS: Patients with complete GHD and multiple pituitary hormone deficiency were significantly shorter as expressed in their height standard deviation score (SDS), target height - height (SDS) and a more bone age delay. Patients with complete GHD showed better growth response compared with those with partial GHD in the first 2 years of therapy. CONCLUSION: We conclude that anthropometric assessment is the cornerstone in GHD diagnosis and follow-up, where catch up growth occurs in the first 2 years of therapy followed by a plateau.