Turner syndrome : demography, auxology and growth during growth hormone treatment. final and near-final adult height

Abstract EN

Turner Syndrome (TS) is the most common chromosomal disorder causing short stature in females.

The consequence of childhood growth failure is marked short stature in adulthood: the average height of untreated women with TS is 143cm.

Treatment with human recombinant growth hormone (rhGH) in an attempt to improve height in childhood and adulthood has become a common practice.

We examined the demographic and auxological features of a number of Egyptian school girls with TS and studied the growth-promoting effects of rhGH on their short stature.

Twenty eight scliool children with TS confirmed by chromosomal analysis were examined before and during treatment with rhGH.

Demographic and auxological features, as well as adverse effects of the drug were important considerations.

TJie study period continued for a period of up to four years with three monthly assessments.

Growth hormone deficiency, partial or complete, was found in seven of the patients.

Mean height SDS in the study group improved from -4.4 ± 1.03 SD at start of treatment to -3.2 ± 0.94 SD by the end of the period when compared with normal healthy girls.

Target lieight -Estimated mature lieight dropped from 14.

92cm to 10.

77cm by the end of the third year and this was significant.

Maximum growth Occurred in the first year of treatment (mean growth velocity - 6.2cm) and dropped progressively thereafter.

Height gained during the study period correlated negatively with age at starting treatment but showed no correlation with GH peak levels in patients.

We found that rhGH had a significant growth promoting effect in children with TS with very few side effects.