Long-term study evaluates weekly vs daily growth hormone treatment in children

Weekly growth hormone (GH) therapy is a safe and effective alternative to daily GH administration for children with GH deficiency over a 4-year period, with similar long-term growth outcomes despite initial differences in short-term growth rates, according to a study.

The research included 996 participants, with 773 receiving daily GH and 193 on a weekly regimen.

Initial data indicated that children in the weekly GH group were older and shorter in terms of mid-parental height compared to those receiving daily GH. A greater proportion of pubertal boys were found in the weekly group (34.0% vs 16.9%). Over the first year, the daily GH group exhibited higher growth metrics, including greater height velocity (9.06 cm/year vs 8.67 cm/year) and change in height standard deviation scores (SDS). However, by 24 and 48 months, height SDS measurements were comparable between the treatment groups.

Throughout the 4-year study, no significant differences emerged in overall height velocity, annual treatment continuation rates, or safety profiles between the administration methods.

Reference
Kang E, Chung LY, Rhie YJ, et al. Long-term effectiveness and safety of long-acting growth hormone preparation in children with growth hormone deficiency. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2024;doi: 10.1515/jpem-2024-0351. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39417734.