Use of Growth Hormone Treatment in Skeletal Dysplasia - A Review.

Skeletal dysplasias are the disorders of the skeletal and cartilaginous tissues. Short stature is the hallmark presentation. Achondroplasia is the commonest skeletal dysplasia. Growth hormone (GH) has been widely used in children with achondroplasia. Various studies have shown 1st year increase in height velocity is about 2-3cm. Apart from achondroplasia, studies have also shown positive effect of GH in hypochondroplasia children. However, in hypochondroplasia GH treatment seems to give better results when administered at puberty. Other forms of skeletal dysplasias are rare, so no conclusion on GH use in such patients can be drawn.