Abstract
In the 30 years that growth hormone (GH) has been used to treat GH deficiency, dose frequency has changed considerably. Early studies demonstrated improved response by increasing dose frequency from 2 to 3 times per week (TIW), GH administration in the National Cooperative Growth Study (NCGS) data base changed from 97% TIW 1987 to 85% daily (6–7 injections per week) in 1992. We have calculated growth rates for those naive patients in the NCGS data base with idiopathic growth hormone deficiency who received GH daily (N = 100) or TIW (N = 195). The groups did not differ statistically in terms of age (7.1 yr daily; 6.7 yr TIW), bone age delay (2.1 yr daily; 2.3 years TIW), maximum stimulated GH (5.1 daily; 4.5 ng/ml TIW) or pretreatment growth rate (3.9 cm/yr daily; 4.2 cm/yr TIW). Differences in growth rates for the two groups were most dramatic in the first year of therapy, (daily 11.0 cm vs. TIW 9.4 cm (p < 0.005)), Rates remained different in the second year (daily 8.3 cm, TIW 7.5 cm (p < 0.005)). Bone age advancement was 1.3 yr (daily) and 1.1 yr (TIW) (ns). Thus, while the advantage of daily over TIW injection frequency is most dramatic during the first year, data from the NCGS show that this advantage continues for at least two years in naive growth hormone deficient patients.
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kemp, S. DOSE FREQUENCY OF GROWTH HORMONE ADMINISTRATION: TWO YEAR DATA COMPARING DAILY AND THREE TIMES PER WEEK. Pediatr Res 33 (Suppl 5), S46 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199305001-00255
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199305001-00255