All issues > Volume 31(5); 1988

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1988;31(5):597-606. Published online May 31, 1988.

Clinical Study on Growth Hormone Deficient Dwarfs.

Duk Hi Kim¹

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

Received: December 23, 1987;  Accepted: December 31, 1987.

Abstract

34 patients with growth hormone (GH) deficiency were studied. The affected males outnumber females in a proportion of 1.8 to 1. The chronological ages on diagnosis was average 9.4 years old and bone age was delayed with average 6.6 years old. The major cause of GH deficiency was idiopathic and organic causes such as craniopharyngioma, germinoma & Tb. meningitis were relatively uncommon. Cerebral anoxia seemed to be major influencing factor in the idiopathic GH deficiency. In case of idiopathic, isolated GH deficinecy was 82.8% and multiple pituitary hormone deficiency 17.2%. In case of organic lesion, multiple hormone deficiency was 100%. There was no difference in height between those with isolated GH & multiple pituitary hormone deficiency. The twelve patients were treated with GH lasting 6 months to 27 months. During GH therapy (0.06—0.1 U/kg), yearly growth velocity was increased from 2.49 cm to 7.56 cm in first & 7.40 cm in second year. There was no significant bone age advancement compare to chronological age. The eleven patients were treated with oxandrolone lasting 6 to 24 months. During oxandrolone therapy (0.25 mg/kg) yearly growth velocity was increased from 2.29 cm to 6.24 cm in first & 6.17 cm in second year. There was no statical difference in yearly growth velocity between GH and oxandrolone treated group. But there is a tendency in bone age acceleration in oxandrolone treated group. The acceleration in bone age suggested the need for further long-term studies in oxandrolone therapy.

Keywords :Dwarfism, Hypopituitarism, Growth hormone deficinecy, Growth hormone therapy, Oxandrolone therapy