Growth response to recombinant human growth hormone in short prepubertal children with chronic renal failure with or without dialysis

The growth‐promoting effect of recombinant human growth hormone (GH) in children with chronic renal failure was assessed in eight clinical trials. A total of 103 prepubertal children participated in the trials, 34 of whom were undergoing dialysis. The children were treated with GH, 30 IU/m2/week (approximately 1 IU/kg/week), for up to 2 years, and various growth parameters, bone age and renal function were assessed before and during treatment. In all trials, the children showed clear catch‐up growth and an improved height SDS after treatment with GH, although the increase in height was less in dialysis patients than in those not receiving dialysis. GH maintained its growth‐promoting effect during the second year of treatment; the effect, however, was less marked than during the first year of treatment. Bone age appeared to advance in parallel with chronological age. Median serum creatinine increased from 204 μmol/1 to 230 and 262 μmol/l after 12 and 24 months of treatment, respectively, due to increased muscle mass and/or progression of the underlying renal disease. The loss of estimated glomerular filtration rate/year was not different before and during GH treatment.