PURPOSE Short stature relative to the familial height potential is a universial characteristics of patients with Turner syndrome. growth hormone(GH)therapy has been shown to improve adult height in Turner syndrome. this study was done to determine the effects of GH treatment.
Objects and METHOD:178 patients were enrolled by investigators at multiple center. Diagnosis of Turner syndrome confirmed by karyotype analysis. Growth rate of 121 patients who were given Recombinant human GH(0.6-1.0IU/kg/Week) by subcutaneous injection for 1-3 years were analized. Final adult height was defined by the growth rate which was less than 1cm/year.
RESULTS Height velocity increased significantly during GH treatment, particularly in the first year. mean height velocity of our Turner patients was 6.3(+/-.39)cm/year during the first year(121 patients), 5.3(+/-.72)cm/year during second year(92 patients), 4.6(+/-.62)cm/year during third year(72 patients) after GH treatment. Mean height velocity of our Turner patients without GH treatment was 3.8(+/-.47)cm/year. the final adult height of our Turner patients with GH trearment was 143.0(+/-.6)cm. the final adult height without GH trearment was 139.6(+/-.9)cm.
CONCLUSION Our data demonstrate that GH treatment seems effective in accelerating growth velocity and in improving final height in Turner syndrome. the final height of our Turner patients is not to be considered the best result, as most of them was received GH therapy late age. |