Predicting growth hormone treatment successDecember 13, 2007Growth hormone treatments work better on some children than on others, but judging which candidates will gain those vital inches in height is no simple task. Now researchers have developed a new mathematical model which predicts the optimal dose of growth hormone to treat children who are abnormally short for a wide range of reasons. A study published in the online open access journal BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making describes a model that can be more widely applied than previous versions, with greater predictive accuracy. Jovanna Dahlgren and colleagues at Gothenburg University in Sweden analysed data from 415 short prepubertal children who had undergone GH treatment to develop a model that predicts an individual's response. The team gathered data including the children's length and weight at birth, height before and during treatment and their parents' height. The model was then validated by applying it to a group of 112 different children. The model's accuracy was substantially improved by including data on blood levels of growth hormone and other growth-related hormones, such as insulin-like growth factors and leptin. Dr Dahlgren states, "The models presented serve as a practical clinical tool for selecting children for successful growth hormone treatment ... and provide the highest prediction accuracy available." Growth hormone treatments are expensive, involve daily injections, and are associated with the risk of overdose. To assess whether growth hormone treatment would be appropriate for a particular child, an accurate prediction of how much growth would result from the treatment is crucial. This new research will help clinicians determine the children most likely to benefit from treatment, and the most appropriate dose. BioMed Central |
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| Related Growth Hormone Current Events and Growth Hormone News Articles Parasite growth hormone pushes human cells to liver cancer Scientists have found that the human liver fluke (Opisthorchis viverrini) contributes to the development of bile duct (liver) cancer by secreting granulin, a growth hormone that is known to cause uncontrolled growth of cells. Risk of frailty in older women dependent on multisystem abnormalities A study published online ahead of press in the Gerontology Society of America's Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences reports that the condition of frailty in older adults is associated with a critical mass of abnormal physiological systems, over and above the status of each individual system, and that the relationship is nonlinear. Nanodiamonds deliver insulin for wound healing Bacterial infection is a major health threat to patients with severe burns and other kinds of serious wounds such as traumatic bone fractures. Study provides documentation that tumor 'stem-like cells' exist in benign tumors Cancer stem-like cells have been implicated in the genesis of a variety of malignant cancers. Research scientists at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center's Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute have isolated stem-like cells in benign (pituitary) tumors and used these "mother" cells to generate new tumors in laboratory mice. Appetite-stimulating hormone is first potential medical treatment for frailty in older women Older women suffering from clinical frailty stand to benefit from the first potential medical treatment for the condition, according to a study presented today by Penn Medicine researchers at ENDO, The Endocrine Society's 91st Annual Meeting. 'Mirthful Laughter,' Coupled With Standard Diabetic Treatment, Raises Good Cholesterol And May Lower Heart Attack Risk The connection between the body, mind and spirit has been the subject of conventional scientific inquiry for some 20 years. The notion that psychosocial and societal considerations have a role in maintaining health and preventing disease became crystallized as a result of the experiences of a layman, Norman Cousins. In the 1970s, Cousins, then a writer and magazine editor of the popular Saturday Review, was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. Understanding natural crop defenses Ever since insects developed a taste for vegetation, plants have faced the same dilemma: use limited resources to out-compete their neighbors for light to grow, or, invest directly in defense against hungry insects. Growth hormone treatment after weight loss surgery prevents loss of muscle mass Growth hormone treatment for six months after weight loss surgery reduces patients' losses in lean body mass and skeletal muscle mass, according to a new study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM). Hormone therapy helps short children grow up Growth hormone treatment may significantly increase final height in children diagnosed with short stature, even in cases where the child is not growth hormone deficient, according to a new study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM). An Anti-Frailty Pill for Seniors? Researchers at the University of Virginia Health System report that a daily single oral dose of an investigational drug, MK-677, increased muscle mass in the arms and legs of healthy older adults without serious side effects, suggesting that it may prove safe and effective in reducing age-related frailty. More Growth Hormone Current Events and Growth Hormone News Articles |
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