Six children with JCA and one with SLE, aged 11.7 to 17.1 years, have been treated with human growth hormone (hGH) for six months to three years because of growth retardation. Their height SDS score ranged from -2.4 to -6.4. All have been treated with corticosteroids for 8.4 years on average. The doses of prednisolone were low at the start of the hGH therapy (mean 1.25 mg/day or 2.75 mg/alternate day). Daily doses of hGH ranged from 0.07 to 0.2 IU/kg body weight and day. The growth rate increased during the first year in all but one patient. The mean pretreatment growth rate was 2.8 cm (range 0.3 to 5.7) and had risen to 6.7 cm/year (range 2.8 to 12.4) after one year of treatment. Four patients entered puberty during the first year of treatment. No adverse side effects were observed. Further studies on greater number of patients and follow-up into adult life are needed in order to establish the efficacy of hGH therapy.
Adolescent Arthritis, Juvenile