RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of using recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) in growth retarded children with chronic kidney disease (CKD). METHODS: This was a non-randomized controlled study over 2 years including children in CKD stages 4-5 suffering from growth retardation. Children were divided into rhGH-treated or non-rhGH treated groups. RESULT: A total of 70 children (35 in each group) were enrolled. While the mean (SD) height of 35 children with CKD had increased from 109.5 (26) cm to 116 (26) cm (mean growth velocity 6.5 cm/year; P=0.09) prior to rhGH therapy, the same was found to increase from 116 (26) cm at the start of therapy to 125 (25) cm after one year of therapy (P=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Therapy with rhGH was helpful in catch-up growth in Tunisian children with CKD.
