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Clinical Experience of Somatrem: UK Preliminary Report
Author(s) -
MILNER R.D.G.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
acta pædiatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.1986.tb10359.x
Subject(s) - medicine , growth velocity , antibody , gastroenterology , pediatrics , immunology
ABSTRACT. A total of 63 patients with hGH deficiency were recruited, of whom 59 are evaluable. Somatrem (Somatonorm), 4 IU three times/week, was given either subcutaneously or intramuscularly. Height velocity increased from a mean of 4.7 ± 2.1 cm/year before therapy to 8.2 ± 2.6 cm/year in the 15 patients who have been followed for 1 year. In patients with isolated hGH deficiency height velocity increased similarly to the whole group, but in those with multiple pituitary hormone deficiencies the pretreatment and on‐treatment growth velocities were lower. Of four children who had previously received spinal irradiation, three experienced only a small increase in height velocity on Somatonorm treatment; the fourth showed a considerable increase in height velocity. Anti‐hGH antibodies were present in about 80% of the children tested after 12 months of treatment, but the titres and binding capacities were low. Anti‐ECP antibodies were also detected, but again the titres were low, and 39% of the children tested had anti‐ECP antibodies before treatment commenced.