Abstract
We treated 93 children suffering from chronic renal failure with recombinant human growth hormone (r-hGH) for 6 months to improve their growth retardation due to uremia. They were divided into two groups, non-dialyzed and dialyzed children. The dose of r-hGH was 0.5IU/kg/week in non-dialyzed and either 0.5 or 1.0IU/kg/week in dialyzed children. After 6 months of treatment with r-hGH, growth velocity was significantly increased in both groups. Growth velocity was stimulated to about twice as much as before treatment. No severe side-effect was noted, and no disturbance of renal function. The results of our study were consistent with those from Europe and USA. We conclude that r-hGH treatment is effective in improving retarded growth in children with renal disease, in Japan as elsewhere.
