EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF GROWTH HORMONE THERAPY IN CHILDREN WITH ENDOCRINE DISORDERS

Abstract

Growth hormone (GH) therapy is a crucial approach to treating children with endocrine disorders that affect growth. These disorders may result from primary GH deficiencies, such as Turner syndrome or isolated GH deficiency, or from secondary conditions, such as chronic kidney disease. The effectiveness of this therapy has been extensively studied, aiming not only to promote linear growth, but also to improve children's body composition and quality of life. Objective: This study aims to carry out a systematic review of the literature to evaluate the effectiveness of growth hormone therapy in children with endocrine disorders, analyzing studies published in the last 10 years. Methodology: The systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA checklist. We used the PubMed, Scielo and Web of Science databases with the descriptors: "growth hormone therapy", "pediatric endocrine disorders", "effectiveness", "children", and "randomized controlled trial". Inclusion criteria were randomized controlled studies, children up to 18 years of age and publications between 2012 and 2021. Exclusion criteria were studies in adults, systematic reviews and uncontrolled studies. Results: The results highlighted that GH therapy demonstrated significant height gains in children with growth hormone deficiency, especially when started early. In addition to height increase, improvements were observed in body composition, bone mineral density and quality of life. Conclusion: In summary, this systematic review highlights the efficacy of growth hormone therapy as an effective treatment for children with growth-related endocrine disorders. The analysis of available studies supports the clinical practice of prescribing GH, emphasizing its benefits not only physical, but also psychosocial for affected pediatric patients.