[CATCH-UP GROWTH AND HEIGHT PROGNOSIS IN GH-DEFICIENT PATIENTS TREATED BEFORE AGE OF 5 YEARS]

Full catch-up growth is known to occur very infrequently in GH-deficient children treated by hGH, due to delayed institution of therapy and/or to inadequate dose adjustment Fourteen 0.73 to 4.95 yr old children were treated for classical GH deficiency (GH peak < 5 ng/ml in response to both insulin and clonidine) and received 0.1 U/kg/day recombinant hGH s.c. during the whole treatment period (4.9 +/- 2.4 years, range 1.5-10.4). In each case the hGH dose was corrected for weight gain every 3 mths. Throughout the whole treatment period patients' stature shifted from a range of -8.9to -1.8 SDS to -2.4 to +0.5 SDS at the time of the last observation. Mean total height gain was 3.2 +/- 1.5 SDS (range 1.5-6.6). In only 2 patients the adult height predicted at the conclusion of follow-up period fell below the lower limit of familial height range. In conclusion, early diagnosis and treatment may allow hypopituitary infants full catch-up growth, especially in case of optimal hGH therapy and permanent dose adjustment to weight gain.