HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (1) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Lagrou, K Articles by De Schepper, J Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Lagrou, K Articles by De Schepper, J

Effect of 2 years of high-dose growth hormone therapy on cognitive and psychosocial development in short children born small for gestational age

Belgian Study Group for Pediatric Endocrinology, Belgium, ¹ Department of Pediatrics, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium, ² Department of Pediatrics, University of Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium, ³ Department of Pediatrics, University of Brussel, Brussel, Belgium, ⁴ Department of Pediatrics, University of Gent, Gent, Belgium, ⁵ Department of Pediatrics, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium, ⁶ Department of Pediatrics, University of Louvain, Mont-Godinne, Belgium, ⁷ Department of Pediatrics, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium, ⁸ Department of Pediatrics, Virga Jesseziekenhuis, Hasselt, Belgium, ⁹ Department of Pediatrics, Clinique de l’Espérance, Liège, Belgium and ¹⁰ Clinique de Luxembourg, Luxembourg, Luxembourg

(Correspondence should be addressed to J de Schepper, Department of Pediatrics, Academic Hospital Free University of Brussels, Laarbeeklaan 101, 1090 Brussels, Belgium; Email: jean.deschepper{at}az.vub.ac.be)

Objective and design: Children born small for gestational age (SGA) are not only at risk for short stature, but also for neurodevelopmental and behavioral problems. In this study, we analyzed the effects of high-dose GH therapy on cognitive development and psychosocial functioning in 34 prepubertal (3–8 years) short SGA children, equally randomized into a GH-treated group (TRG) and an untreated group (UTRG).

Methods: At start and after 2 years, children underwent standardized tests measuring the intellectual abilities (Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-Revised, or Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised); their parents completed a standardized questionnaire evaluating psychosocial functioning (Child Behavior Checklist; CBCL).

Results: At start, total IQ scores were significantly (P < 0.05) lower in the SGA group than in the general population: 32% of the SGA patients had scores below 85. After 2 years, IQ scores remained unchanged in the TRG, but increased significantly (P < 0.05) in the UTRG. After exclusion of children with developmental problems, however, no significant changes in IQ scores occurred in the UTRG as well as the TRG. At baseline, 24% (8/34) children had problematic CBCL total problems scores, equally distributed among the two groups; no significant changes in the different subscale scores occurred after 2 years.

Conclusion: No beneficial effect of 2 years of GH therapy on cognitive and behavioral profile could be observed in a cohort of rather young short SGA children presenting a variable degree of developmental delay and behavioral problems. Subsequent follow-up could reveal potential long-term effects of GH therapy on development and behavior.