Abstract
Children who have required cranial irradiation for malignant disease may become growth hormone (GH) deficient. We have reviewed the records of 37 children to determine whether their height velocity in the first 2 years following radiotherapy predicts those who would become GH deficient. Heights and pubertal stage were noted at presentation and annually until 5 years after diagnosis. Height and height velocity standard deviation scores (SDS) were calculated for each patient year of follow up. The results were analysed separately for those with a peak serum GH >15mU/L and those with a peak <15mU/L. Mean height SDS at 2 years fell to -0.7 and -1.06 in the GH normal and GH deficient groups respectively. Mean height velocity SDS for years 1 and 2 were -4.07 and -2.69 in the GH deficient patients compared with -1.68 and -1.12 in the GH normal patients. We conclude that the effects of cranial irradiation on height velocity are apparent within the first 12 months of treatment in those patients who become GH deficient.
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Ward, P., Mott, M. & Savage, D. The growth of children following cranial irradiation. Pediatr Res 18, 1228 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198411000-00167
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198411000-00167