Effectiveness of growth-promoting therapies. Comparison among growth hormone, clonidine, and levodopa
C. Volta, L. Ghizzoni, G. Muto, R. Spaggiari, R. Virdis and S. Bernasconi
Department of Pediatrics, University of Parma, Italy.
The ability of growth hormone, clonidine, and levodopa to stimulate growth
was compared in short and slowly growing children randomly assigned to
different treatment regimens for 6 months. There were 10 children in each
group, and 10 additional subjects served as controls. Growth hormone
improved mean height velocity, height velocity SD score, and height SD
score. The mean height velocity and height velocity SD score were
significantly increased by clonidine, while levodopa only enhanced the mean
height velocity SD score of the treated children. Moreover, in nine
patients (90%) receiving growth hormone, two (20%) receiving clonidine, and
one (10%) receiving levodopa, the height velocity was raised by more than 2
cm/y. The increments in height velocity and height SD score were greatest
in the growth hormone group. Clonidine induced an increase in height
velocity significantly different from that in control children only. In the
control group, there was a significant reduction of height SD score with
time.
