Abstract
Determinations of anti-HGH antibody were performed by radioimmunoassay in 57 patients with pituitary insufficiency who had been treated with human growth hormone (HGH). Antibodies were not detected in 38 patients, 10 had low antibody titers (1:15–1:120), 4 medium titers (1:120–1:960), and 5 high titers (of 1:960). In 42 patients, antibody titers could be correlated with growth velocity during HGH treatment. An adequate growth velocity was observed in 25 of 27 patients with negative titers, 5 of 7 with low titers, 3 of 4 with medium titers, and 1 of 4 with high titers. The 3 patients with high titers and a decrease in growth velocity all had an isolated hereditary growth hormone deficiency.
In conclusion, most patients with negative, low, or medium anti-HGH antibody titers grow adequately. The presence of high level titers inhibited the growth response to HGH administration.
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Fahrer, M., Heinrich, J., Rivarola, M. et al. Anti-Human Growth Hormone (HGH) Antibody Determination in HGH-treated Patients. Pediatr Res 12, 1029–1030 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197810000-00027
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197810000-00027