Growth hormone therapy

Growth Hormone Therapy

File:Growth hormone structure.png

Structure of the growth hormone

Growth hormone therapy refers to the use of growth hormone (GH) as a prescription medication to treat children and adults with GH deficiency and other conditions.

Overview

Growth hormone, also known as somatotropin, is a peptide hormone that stimulates growth, cell reproduction, and cell regeneration in humans and other animals. It is thus crucial in human development. GH also stimulates the production of IGF-1, a hormone similar to insulin that plays an important role in childhood growth and continues to have anabolic effects in adults.

Medical Uses

Growth hormone therapy is used to treat conditions that cause short stature in children, and to replace GH in adults with GH deficiency.

Children

In children, growth hormone is approved for the treatment of poor growth due to Turner syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, chronic kidney disease, HGH deficiency or insufficiency, short stature homeobox-containing gene (SHOX) deficiency, and for children born small for gestational age (SGA) with no catch-up growth by age 2 to 4 years of age.

Adults

In adults, approved uses of HGH include short bowel syndrome and HGH deficiency due to rare pituitary tumors or their treatment. It is also used to prevent HIV/AIDS wasting syndrome.

Side Effects

Like all medicines, growth hormone therapy can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. These can include joint pain, muscle pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, increased insulin resistance, and increased risk of diabetes.

See Also

• Endocrinology
• Pediatrics
• Hormone replacement therapy (menopause)