Growth hormone treatment of familial hypophosphatemic rickets

X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets (XLHR) is frequently associated with growth retardation and short adult stature, el en with an appropriate conventional treatment associating phosphate and calcitriol or 1 alpha-hydroxyvitamin D. its pathogenesis is unclear growth hormone (GH) secretion is usually normal. Sir children with XLHR and growth retardation Here treated with GH during 6 years. In addition, they received the conventional treatment. At the beginning of the treatment mean age Has 7.8 +/- 1.8 years, and height mean Z score was -3.4 +/- 05. A control group was composed of six children with XLHR (age: 7.9 +/- 2.5 years) receiving the conventional treatment only. Under GH treatment statural growth was improved with significant increase in Z score and predicted adult height; the height gain was significantly higher in the GH treated group as compared with the group receiving the conventional treatment only. In addition, radial bone mineral density increased significantly under GN treatment. GH treatment thus appears to be a useful treatment to improve statural growth in children with XLHR. (C) 1998 Elsevier, Paris