All issues > Volume 34(9); 1991

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1991;34(9):1261-1268. Published online September 30, 1991.

Study on the antibody formation in patinets treated with recombinant human growth hormone(rhGH).

Hye Jung Joo¹, Duk Hi Kim¹, Dong Soo Kim¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

Received: March 5, 1991;  Accepted: June 11, 1991.

Abstract

Patients with short stature admitted to the Pediatrics Endocrinology Clinic, Yonsei University College of Medicine during a six-year period from August, 1983 to August, 1989 were divided into three groups. The group 1 received rhGH, group 2 received Oxandrolone and group 3 did not receive any treatment. These patients were tested for presence of antibodies to rhGH with ELISA and effect of rhGH was evaluated. 1) Among 53 patients who received rhGH, 5(10%) were positive for antibody while none of the patients who received Oxandrolone and who were treated conservatively had antibodies. 2) When inhibition test was with rhGH, only 1 patient among 5 patients were inhibited. Among the 5 patients positive for antibody titer, there was no growth in 1 patient in spite of rhGH while among the other 4 patients, 3 patients who could be followed up had definite growth. 3) There was no significant increase in levels of titration when antibodies to rhGH was followed up serially for a period of 1 to 6 months following initiation of treatment. In conclusion, in patients who has no growth with rhGH treatment, antibody titration and inhibition test should be done for presence of specific antibodies in serum. If there is presence of specific antibodies, the dosage of rhGH should be increased or another method of treatment should be tried.

Keywords :Recombinant human growth hormone;Growth hormone antibody