Growth hormone therapy for short children born small for gestational age

Abstract

Children born small for gestational age may demonstrate continued growth retardation, resulting in persistent short stature. In the majority of the cases, this is linked with abnormal growth hormone secretion and also abnormal insulin-like growth factor levels. This review discusses the treatment of such children with recombinant human growth hormone. It illustrates the importance of starting therapy early, the dose-dependent response, and the advantages of continuous therapy and describes safety considerations. Copyright © 2007 S. Karger AG.