A Critical Appraisal of Growth Hormone Therapy in Growth Hormone Deficiency and Turner Syndrome Patients in Turkey

Early detection of abnormal growth, identification of the underlying cause, and appropriate treatment of the medical condition is an important issue for children with short stature. Growth hormone (GH) therapy is widely used in GH-deficient children and also in non-GH-deficient short stature cases who have findings conforming to certain indications. Efficacy of GH therapy has been shown in a multitude of short- and long-term studies. Age at onset of GH therapy is the most important factor for a successful treatment outcome. Optimal dosing is also essential. The aim of this review was to focus on challenges in the early diagnosis and appropriate management of short stature due to GH deficiency (GHD) and Turner syndrome. These are the most frequent two indications for GH therapy in Turkey approved by the Ministry of Health for coverage by the national insurance system

Body mass index at the presentation of premature adrenarche is associated with components of metabolic syndrome at puberty.

The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between premature adrenarche (PA) and metabolic syndrome (MeS) parameters at presentation and during puberty. This study comprised 47 girls with PA. Age- and puberty-matched 22 healthy girls without PA were the control group. Patients were evaluated at admission (first evaluation) and later in puberty (second evaluation). Anthropometric measurements, lipid levels, and hormonal parameters were studied and oral glucose tolerance test was performed. Indices for insulin resistance (IR) were calculated. The study group was divided in subgroups according to body mass index (BMI) and compared with the control group. The age of the PA group at first evaluation was 8.01.1years; mean height SDS and BMI SDS were 0.4 +/- 1.2 and 0.6 +/- 0.9, respectively. Age of PA group at the second evaluation was 12.9 +/- 2.4years. Frequency of obesity and overweight was 14.9 and 23.4%. Dyslipidemia ratio was 28.3%. PA group had significantly higher BMI than controls. Mean insulin concentration was higher and mean glucose and FGIR were lower in PA group and also dyslipidemia ratio was 5.3 times higher in PA than controls (p=0.040). In PA group, overweight/obese subjects had still higher BMI at second evaluation and also higher fasting glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR. However, PA children with exaggerated DHEAS concentrations compared to those without had similar BMI SDS, insulin sensitivity, and secretion indices and lipid profile at second evaluation. BMI SDS at first evaluation was positively correlated with HOMA-IR at puberty; however, there is no correlation between DHEAS at first evaluation and HOMA-IR at puberty.p id=Par Conclusion: BMI at adrenarche is more important than prepubertal adrogen concentrations such as DHEAS, while predicting the IR in puberty. Long-term follow-up of children supports the observation that PA per se may be related to IR; however, the risk increases with obesity