FINAL HEIGHT AND LONG-TERM OUTCOME AFTER GROWTH-HORMONE THERAPY IN TURNER SYNDROME - RESULTS OF A GERMAN MULTICENTER TRIAL

Final height was investigated in 85 patients from a German multicentre trial of human growth hormone (GH) therapy in Turner syndrome. Six patients (mean age, 15.4 +/- 1.0 years; mean duration of therapy, 4.4 +/- 1.0 years) fulfilled the criteria for having reached final height (i.e. a height velocity <0.5 cm/year). Four subjects had stopped therapy and two were still receiving GH. The mean final height of patients was 150.9 +/- 4.7 cm (range, 143.3-154.9 cm). In 3 subjects, projected final height was exceeded by 1.4, 6.5 and 10.8 cm, 1 patient just failed to reach projected final height by -1.7 cm and the 2 remaining patients did not attain projected final height by -3.2 and - 12.1 cm. In the tatter case, lack of height gain was associated with early onset and rapid progress of spontaneous puberty. The changes in height SDS were analysed in the other patients still receiving GH therapy over a period of 6 years, and it appeared that 2 IU/m(2)/day was less effective than 3 or 4 IU/m(2)/day, but that 4 IU/m(2)/day was no more effective than 3 IU/m(2)/day. These limited, non-controlled results indicate that GH therapy may be effective in increasing final height in Turner syndrome, though some patients may not benefit.