The changes in health-related quality of life and psychological outcomes in Chinese children with short stature after growth hormone therapy.
The study suggests that rhGH therapy may lead to improved health-related quality of life in children with short stature, but the non-randomized design limits definitive conclusions.
Where it sits
this study against the rest of the hgh (somatropin) corpusSummary and findings
This study evaluated changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and psychological outcomes in 162 prepubertal Chinese children with short stature after 12 months of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) therapy compared to standard care. The rhGH group (n=45) showed increased HRQoL scores across various domains, while the control group (n=117) showed no significant changes. The findings are based on both child self-reports and parent proxy-reports.
Abstract
Objectives To evaluate longitudinal changes in mental health and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among prepubertal Chinese children with short stature whose guardians selected recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) therapy or observation, using both child self-reports and parent proxy-reports. Methods Retrospective, non-randomized study of 162 prepubertal Chinese children (ages 4-12 years) with short stature at a pediatric department in Xiaoshan District. Participants were grouped according to guardian treatment decisions: rhGH group (n = 45, treated for 12 months) and control group (n = 117, standard care only). Baseline anthropometric characteristics and Chinese PedsQL 4.0 scores at baseline and 1 year were analyzed. Group comparisons and within-group longitudinal changes were evaluated using appropriate statistical tests. Results At baseline, the groups were comparable in available demographic, anthropometric, and HRQoL variables (P > 0.05). After 1 year, the control group showed no statistically significant HRQoL changes (P > 0.05), whereas children whose guardians selected rhGH therapy showed increased HRQoL scores across physical, emotional, social, and school domains in both child and parent reports (P < 0.05). At 1 year, the rhGH group had higher overall and domain-specific HRQoL scores than controls (all P < 0.05). These findings should be interpreted as associations because treatment allocation was non-randomized and follow-up growth outcomes were not available in the analyzed dataset. Conclusion In this retrospective non-randomized cohort, rhGH therapy selected by guardians was associated with greater increases in child- and parent-reported HRQoL scores over 1 year compared with observation. Causal effects and growth-mediated psychosocial mechanisms cannot be inferred without adjustment for unmeasured confounders and follow-up growth outcomes.
Background
Not reported in abstract.
Methods
Not reported in abstract.
Results
Not reported in abstract.
Interpretation
Not reported in abstract.
Limitations
Not reported in abstract.