Prospective clinical trial of human growth hormone in short children without growth hormone deficiency

Ten unselected, apparently healthy short children who were capable of normal growth hormone secretion were given human growth hormone (0.1 U/kg im thrice weekly) for 6 months to determine whether such treatment might lead to an increase in growth velocity. During treatment, all patients increased their growth rate (from 4.3±0.3 cm/yr to 7.4±0.5 cm/yr P<0.001). No adverse effects were deteced. During the four-day IGF generation test, IGF I and IGF II levels rose significantly from 0.32±0.04 U/ml to 0.62±0.13 U/ml and from 279±36 ng/ml to 434±49 ng/ml, respectively. However, the growth response was not predicted by either the acute rise in IGF I or that in IGF II. Human growth hormone in standard doses may be capable of inducing accelerated growth in some short children without growth hormone deficiency. Measurements of IGF I and II cannot be used to predict which children will respond.