Objective To investigate whether prematurity has an independent influence on the response to GH treatment in short, small for gestational age (SGA) children. Design A longitudinal 3-year GH study. Patients A total of 392 prepubertal non-GH-deficient, short SGA children, comprising 138 preterm (< 36 weeks) and 254 term (≥ 36 weeks) children. Measurements Height, weight, head circumference, skinfolds and serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels were measured before start of GH treatment and after 6 months, 1, 2 and 3 years of treatment. Results Preterm short SGA children were significantly lighter and shorter at birth after correction for gestational age than term short SGA children (P < 0·001). At start of GH treatment, preterm children were significantly shorter than term children when height was corrected for target height (TH). Preterm children were also significantly leaner as shown by a lower body mass index (BMI) standard deviation score (SDS) and a lower sum of four skinfolds SDS. Prematurity had no influence on childhood IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels. The response to GH treatment was similar for preterm and term SGA children. Conclusions Within a population of short SGA children, prematurity is associated with a smaller size for gestational age and a shorter height corrected for TH and leaner phenotype in childhood. The response to GH treatment is similar for preterm and term short SGA children.

doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2265.2008.03484.x, hdl.handle.net/1765/24765
Clinical Endocrinology
Erasmus MC: University Medical Center Rotterdam

de Kort, S., Willemsen, R., van der Kaay, D., Duivenvoorden, H., & Hokken-Koelega, A. (2009). Does preterm birth influence the response to growth hormone treatment in short, small for gestational age children?. Clinical Endocrinology, 70(4), 582–587. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2265.2008.03484.x