Recommendations for treatment with recombinant human growth hormone in pediatric patients in Colombia

Abstract

In Colombia there are no guidelines for diagnosis and management of patients with short stature and for the use of recombinant human growth hormone, mainly caused by the diversity of training centers in pediatric endocrinology. In response to this situation, the Colombian College Association of Pediatric Endocrinology (Asociación Colegio Colombiano de Endocrinología Pediátrica) leds the first Colombian short stature expert committee in order to standardize the use of human recombinant growth hormone. This work had the participation and endorsement of a consortium of clinical experts representing the Colombian Society of Pediatrics (Sociedad Colombiana de Pediatría), Bogota Health District Secretariat-Southwestern Health Services Integrated Subnetwork (Secretaría Distrital de Salud de Bogotá-Subred Integrada de Servicios de Salud Suroccidente), Sanitas University Foundation (Fundación Universitaria Sanitas), University of los Andes (Universidad de los Andes) and some public and private health institutions in the country, in addition to the participation of methodological experts from the Keralty Global Institute of Clinical Excellence (Instituto Global de Excelencia Clínica Keralty). By reviewing the literature and with the best available evidence, we proposed to unify definitions, a diagnostic algorithm, biochemical and dynamic tests with their reference parameters, a description of the considerations about growth hormone use among the indications approved by regulatory agency for medications and food in Colombia and finally a proposal for an informed consent and a medication fact sheet available for parents and patients.