Intracranial hypertension in pediatric patients treated with recombinant human growth hormone: data from 25 years of the Genentech National Cooperative Growth Study

• Published in: Journal of pediatric endocrinology & metabolism : JPEM Vol. 24; no. 9-10; p. 627
• Main Authors: Noto, Richard, Maneatis, Thomas, Frane, James, Alexander, Kimberly, Lippe, Barbara, Davis, D Aaron
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany 01-10-2011
• Subjects: Child; Databases, Factual - statistics & numerical data; Drug Monitoring - statistics & numerical data; Female; Growth Disorders - drug therapy; Growth Disorders - epidemiology; Human Growth Hormone - deficiency; Human Growth Hormone - therapeutic use; Humans; Intracranial Hypertension - epidemiology; Male; Obesity - drug therapy; Obesity - epidemiology; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic - drug therapy; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic - epidemiology; Risk Factors; Turner Syndrome - drug therapy; Turner Syndrome - epidemiology
• ISSN: 0334-018X
• DOI: 10.1515/JPEM.2011.319

Intracranial hypertension (IH) is a rare condition in children. However, a relationship between recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) therapy and IH has been well documented. Risk factors were assessed for 70 rhGH-naive patients enrolled in the National Cooperative Growth Study with reports of IH after treatment initiation. Patients with severe growth hormone deficiency, Turner syndrome, chronic renal insufficiency (CRI), and obesity (particularly in the CRI group) were at highest risk of developing IH during the first year of therapy, suggesting initiation of careful early monitoring. In some patients, factors such as corticosteroid use or other chromosomal abnormalities appear to confer a delayed risk of IH, and these patients should be monitored long-term for signs and symptoms of IH.