Long-term results of rhGH treatment in children with renal failure: experience of the French Society of Pediatric Nephrology

Few publications have described the long-term effects of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) in uremic patients. This study reports the results of rhGH therapy at the end of treatment and at adult age in 178 French patients. At enrollment, 63 patients were under conservative treatment (CT), 40 under hemodialysis (HD), and 75 had a functioning renal transplant (RT). Under rhGH treatment, height velocities (HV) significantly increased in all patients, but the effect was significantly better in the CT group. The HV gain (HV under rhGH-HV before treatment) was similar in all three groups. Increases in HV allowed height standard deviation scores (SDS) catch up, and this effect persisted over a 5-year period. SDS height at the completion of treatment was significantly related to group (best in CT) and response to treatment during the first year. Data on adult height was available for 102 patients. Mean adult height was 162.2 cm in men and 152.9 cm in women, and 46% were > −2 SDS for height. Adult height SDS was correlated with height SDS and spontaneous HV before treatment and effect of treatment. Analysis of adult height in the 49 patients who entered the protocol with a height SDS between −2 and −3 (the current recommendation for rhGH use) revealed that 65% had an adult-height SDS >−2. These adult heights were significantly better if compared with historical cohorts of patients not treated by rhGH; rhGH significantly improves the adult-height prognosis of uremic patients suffering from growth retardation. Early rhGH administration during CT gives better height SDS at both the end of rhGH therapy and in adulthood.