The effect of growth hormone treatment on craniofacial growth in short stature children

The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of growth hormone (GH) treatment on craniofacial growth in growth hormone-deficient (GHD) and idiopathic short stature (ISS). Eleven GHD patients and eleven patients with ISS (with paired sampling who are matching in eleven GHD subjects' age and sex) were two subject group who started to receive GH treatment at the Pediatrics in Yeungnam University Hospital. All subject group were taken lateral cephalogram before, after 2 year GH treatment. As a reference group, we select eleven normal children (NC) with paired sampling who are matching in subjects' age and sex from Department of Orthodontics, Kyungbuk National University Hospital. As a result, the GH treatment generates a positive influence on accelerated growth in several craniofacial components, especially in the posterior total facial height, the cranial base length, and the mandibular length and the increase of mandibular length, cranial base length and posterior facial height. GH treatment over 2 years leads craniofacial catch-up growth, which is pronounced in regions where interstitial cartilage is involved and results in a less convex face in profile.