Growth Hormone

Paper Summary:

This study helps to ascertain whether the use of growth hormone has any beneficial effect on those who wish to use it for cosmetic purposes. The paper further discusses whether its use should be restricted to those who have deficits in their body's secretions of somatotropin as children.

From the Paper:

"Dr. Richard Sadovsky, in the journal, American Family Physician treats children to improve height velocity and bone maturation in children. However, he says "the use of growth hormone in children with non-growth hormone-deficient short stature is controversial." He cites a study by Kawai and Associates with 27 boys of short stature that were divided into a control group that received nothing that would affect growth or bone maturation and a treatment group that received pituitary-derived or recombinant human growth hormone five or six times every week for 3.5 to 4.8 years. The surprising findings were that growth hormone therapy during prepubery did not improve height and actually resulted in shorter final height than what would have been attained naturally. "This may be the result of accelerated bone maturation and reduction of the duration of puberty." Rosenfeld, who conducted the study, commented that short children with normal growth velocities may be negatively affected by "the early and rapid pubertal progression caused by growth hormone therapy." Those involved must carefully select the children, as the time that they utilize this drug affects and is affected by puberty. (Sadovsky 1997)"

Sample of Sources Used:

• Biller, Beverly M.K. "Topics in Growth Hormone Deficiency." MGH Neuroendocrine Center Bulletin. Vol 7, Issue 1, Winter 2001.
• Bock, Robert and Duffy, Marianne G. "Study of Growth Hormone Treatment and Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Underscores Need for Prevention of Adrenal Crises" NIH News. April 7, 2004. <http://endocrine.niddk.nih.gov/pubs/creutz/creutz.htm>
• Bowen, Robert, "Growth Hormone (Somatotropin)" Endocrine Index. Colorado State University. 4 2 (2003) <http://www.vivo.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/endocrine/hypopit/gh.html>.
• FDA. "Human Growth Hormone" Answers (03/12/1987). <http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/ANSWERS/ANS00319.html>
• Frajese, G. et al. "Hypothalamo-Pituitary Surveillance Imaging in Hypopituitary Patients Receiving Long-Term Growth Hormone Replacement Therapy." J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2001; 86:5172-5.

More papers on Growth Hormone:

• Term Paper # 115408 : "Ethics of Human Growth Hormone"
• Article Review # 113132 : "Human Growth Hormone"
• Research Paper # 55890 : "Human Growth Hormone"

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