Hormones enhance growth in kids with rheumatism

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The results of a clinical trial suggest that human growth hormone (hGH) therapy improves growth, body composition and potentially bone density in children with rheumatic diseases, such as arthritis, and growth retardation related to steroid treatment.

In the Archives of Disease in Childhood, investigators from the Netherlands note that children with severe rheumatic disease often require treatment with steroids, which may lead to growth retardation and bone thinning. A beneficial effect of hGH has been reported previously but most of the studies did not have an untreated comparison group.

In their study, Mrs. F. K. Grote from Leiden University Medical Center and colleagues randomly assigned 17 children with rheumatic disease and growth retardation with or without bone thinning to 2 years of hGH or no hGH.

Children treated with hGH experienced a significant increase in height, while comparison children experienced a slight drop in height.

Lean body mass also increased significantly in children treated with hGH compared with untreated children.

These beneficial effects were independent of rheumatic disease activity and steroid dose, suggesting the effects were most likely related to the growth hormone, the authors contend. Moreover, growth hormone therapy did not lead to premature aging of the bones.

Changes in bone density were not significantly different between the two groups. The researchers think that a study lasting longer than 2 years might be necessary to determine the true effect of hGH on bone thickness.

SOURCE: Archives of Disease in Childhood, January 2006.