Recombinant human growth hormone effects on growth in cystic fibrosis

Growth retardation is a common finding in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) has shown promising results in improving weight, height and clinical status of CF patients. In this study we aim to evaluate efficacy of rhGH on physical growth, clinical status and pulmonary function in CF patients.
In this prospective clinical trial we recruited 34 CF patients with mean age of 62.05±31.11 month. Patients were followed for 6 months and then were treated with rhGH 0.35 mg/kg/week for the next six month. Measurements included height, weight, growth velocity, pulmonary function, hospitalizations, outpatient antibiotic use and Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IgF1) before and after rhGH therapy.
Growth velocity, Insulin-like growth factor-1 levels, hospitalization and antibiotic therapy were significantly improved after rhGH treatment. Pulmonary function evaluations including forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume (FEV1) showed no significant difference, before and after rhGH therapy.
These results show significant effects of rhGH treatment on growth and clinical status of CF patients, but didn’t positive effect on Pulmonary function.