Indications for growth hormone therapy

Treatment with biosynthetic growth hormone (GH) has been extended in the last 20 years to a wide range of indications. Hormone replacement in GH deficiency, congenital or acquired, can allow children to grow to a normal adult height, though treatment regimen refinements are still required. Extensive post-marketing surveillance has revealed an impressive safety record. Other successful indications include Turner’s syndrome and growth failure associated with chronic diseases such as renal failure, and newer indications such as juvenile chronic arthritis, cystic fibrosis, skeletal dysplasias and congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Condition-specific dose ranges are used. GH deficiency is still principally a clinical diagnosis, needing accurate measurements to demonstrate growth failure supported by tests of poor GH secretory ability. Compliance is improved with a wide range of attractive injection devices.