Serum leptin in short children born small for gestational age: relationship with the growth response to growth hormone treatment. The Swedish Study Group for Growth Hormone Treatment

1997 ◽  
pp. 387-395 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Boguszewski ◽  
J Dahlgren ◽  
R Bjarnason ◽  
S Rosberg ◽  
LM Carlsson ◽  
...  

The product of the obese (ob) gene, leptin, is an adipocyte-derived hormone that is involved in the regulation of appetite and body weight. This study was undertaken in order to describe the basal serum levels of leptin in prepubertal short children born small for gestational age (SGA) and their relationship with growth parameters, before and during growth hormone (GH) treatment. Eighty-nine prepubertal short children (66 boys, 23 girls; height standard deviation score (SDS), -5.4 to -2.0; age, 2.0 to 12.8 years) born SGA, 12 of whom (9 boys, 3 girls) had signs of Silver-Russell syndrome, were included in the study. Serum leptin concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay. Leptin levels in the children born SGA were compared with those in a reference group of 109 prepubertal healthy children born at an appropriate size for gestational age (AGA). The mean (S.D.) change in height SDS was 0.11 (0.22) during the year before the start of GH therapy (0.1 IU/kg/day) and increased to 0.82 (0.44) during the first year (P < 0.001) and to 1.28 (0.59) during the 2-year period of GH therapy (P < 0.001). The children born SGA were significantly leaner than the reference group. An inverse correlation was found between leptin and chronological age in the SGA group (r = -0.31, P < 0.01). The mean serum level of leptin in the children born SGA who were older than 5.5 years of age was 2.8 micrograms/l which was significantly lower than the mean value of 3.7 micrograms/l found in the children born AGA of the same age range. The difference remained after adjustment of leptin levels for sex, age, body mass index (BMI) and weight-for-height SDS (WHSDSSDS). Leptin correlated with WHSDSSDS (r = 0.32, P < 0.001) and BMI (r = 0.36, P < 0.01) in the reference population, but not in the SGA group. No correlation was found between leptin and spontaneous 24-h GH secretion, insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I or IGF-binding protein-3 levels, or with fasting insulin or cortisol levels. Leptin levels at the start of GH treatment were correlated with the growth response over both 1 year (r = 0.46, P < 0.001) and 2 years (r = 0.51, P < 0.001) of GH therapy. Using multiple regression analysis, models including leptin levels at the start of GH therapy could explain 51% of the variance in the growth response after 1 year and 44% after 2 years of GH treatment. In conclusion, serum leptin levels are reduced in short children born SGA and are inversely correlated with chronological age. Leptin concentrations correlate with the growth response to GH treatment and might be used as a marker for predicting the growth response to GH treatment.

2011 ◽  
Vol 96 (6) ◽  
pp. 1687-1694 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret C. S. Boguszewski ◽  
Hanna Karlsson ◽  
Hartmut A. Wollmann ◽  
Patrick Wilton ◽  
Jovanna Dahlgren

Context: Children born prematurely with growth failure might benefit from GH treatment. Objectives: The aim was to evaluate the first year growth response to GH treatment in short children born prematurely and to identify predictors of the growth response. Design/Patients: A total of 3215 prepubertal children born prematurely who were on GH treatment were selected from KIGS (The Pfizer International Growth Database), a large observational database. They were classified according to gestational age as preterm (PT; 33 to no more than 37 wk) and very preterm (VPT; &lt;33 wk), and according to birth weight as appropriate for gestational age [AGA; between −2 and +2 sd score (SDS)] and small for gestational age (SGA; −2 SDS or below). Results: Four groups were identified: PT AGA (n = 1928), VPT AGA (n = 629), PT SGA (n = 519), and VPT SGA (n = 139). GH treatment was started at a median age of 7.5, 7.2, 6.7, and 6.0 yr, respectively. After the first year of GH treatment, all four groups presented a significant increase in weight gain and height velocity, with a median increase in height SDS higher than 0.6. Using multiple stepwise regression analysis, 27% of the variation in height velocity could be explained by the GH dose, GH peak during provocative test, weight and age at GH start, adjusted parental height, and birth weight SDS. The first year growth response of the children born PT and SGA could be estimated by the SGA model published previously. Conclusion: Short children born prematurely respond well to the first year of GH treatment. Long-term follow-up is needed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 105 (7) ◽  
pp. e2457-e2463 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret C S Boguszewski ◽  
Martin Carlsson ◽  
Anders Lindberg ◽  
Jovanna Dahlgren ◽  
Ferah Aydin ◽  
...  

Abstract Context Children born prematurely have been treated with growth hormone (GH), and a significant improvement in height during the first years of treatment has been described. Objective To evaluate the influence of prematurity on near-adult height (NAH) after GH treatment. Design KIGS (Pfizer International Growth Database) was queried for children born preterm treated with GH. Setting KIGS database. Patients A total of 586 children short in stature born preterm with various GH status and with available gestational age (GA), birth weight, and NAH, all treated with GH. Intervention GH treatment. Main Outcome Measure NAH. Results Values were expressed as median. From the 586 children included, 482 born appropriate for GA (AGA; median age 8.26 years) and 104 born small for gestational age (SGA) (median age 8.54 years); 66.6% of preterm AGA had GH peak &lt; 7 µg/L during a provocation test, whereas only 8.6% of preterm SGA. Change in height standard deviation scores (SDS) from GH start to NAH after 8.04 years of GH treatment was 1.82 in preterm AGA. Respective values were 7.08 years and 1.08 SDS for preterm SGA (P &lt; 0.001); 57% of the variability of the growth response to NAH could be explained, and the distance to parental height was the strongest predictor. No significant changes in height SDS were observed from puberty start to NAH. No correlation was found with GA. GH treatment was well tolerated. Conclusion GH treatment resulted in significant improvement in height in children born preterm, particularly during prepubertal years and for those with GH deficiency. The degree of prematurity did not influence the growth response.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Jung-Eun Moon ◽  
Cheol Woo Ko

Purpose. Growth hormone (GH) treatment is recommended to improve growth and psychosocial problems in short stature children born small for gestational age (SGA). Although GH therapy in these patients has been extensively studied, the impact of therapy according to delays in bone age (BA) is not known well. Objective. To investigate the effects of GH therapy in SGA patients with short stature according to BA delay. Methods. We retrospectively analyzed changes in height SD score (SDS) and BA/chronological age (CA) after 6 and 12 months of GH therapy in patients grouped according to BA delay. We studied 27 SGA children with short stature in the pediatric endocrinology clinic of Kyungpook National University Children’s Hospital. Results. Of the 27 patients, 9 had <2 years of BA delay, while 18 had >2 years of delay. There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of gestational age and weight at birth, height SDS, IGF-1 SDS, and growth hormone dosage at the beginning of therapy. However, height SDS increased significantly in the group with >2 years of BA delay after 6 months of GH therapy (−2.50 ± 0.61 vs −1.87 ± 0.82; p=0.037) and 12 months (−2.27 ± 0.70 vs −1.63 ± 0.65; p=0.002). When height SDS was compared between with and without GHD, there were no significant differences. Conclusions. Delayed BA (>2 years) may impact the response to GH treatment in SGA children with short stature.


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