[en] Objective: Since the availability of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) all children with growth hormone deficiency (GHD) living in Belgium are offered rhGH treatment after approval by a peer-review board. In this study, we evaluated the prevalence and demographic features of childhood GHD in Belgium during the period 1986-2001 and we compared them with the data from other countries. Methods: Diagnostic, demographic and baseline auxological data of 714 children diagnosed as having GHD between 1986 and 2001 were retrieved from the database of the Belgian Study Group for Paediatric Endocrinology. Results: The prevalence of GHD in Belgium was estimated to be 1/5600. The origin of GHD was idiopathic (idGHD) in 41% of the patients, congenital (congGHD) in 20% and acquired (acqGHD) in 35%. During the first 4 years (1986-1989) more patients were classified as idGHD; thereafter the distribution between the three aetiology groups did not change. In all groups, boys outnumbered girls but this preponderance was especially pronounced in congGHD patients (male:female = 4:1) with a central malformation that associates an anterior pituitary hypoplasia, a missing, fine or normal pituitary stalk and an ectopic posterior pituitary. Thirteen percent of the patients with idGHD, 50% with congGHD and 52% with acqGHD had multiple pituitary deficiencies. Patients with congGHD were the youngest (mean+/-S.D. age: 6.5+/-4.7 years) and were the shortest (-3.0+/-1.3 standard deviation score (SDS)) at the start of rhGH treatment. There was no time trend over the studied period for age and height at onset of GH therapy. Conclusion: In Belgium, the prevalence of childhood GHD can be estimated as 1/5600 which is comparable to other recent surveys. The yearly number of new patients for the different aetiologies and the auxological parameters have remained relatively constant over the last 16 years.
Research center :
Giga-Neurosciences - ULiège
Disciplines :
Endocrinology, metabolism & nutrition
Author, co-author :
Thomas, Muriel
Massa, Guy
Craen, Margarita
de Zegher, Francis
Bourguignon, Jean-Pierre ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences cliniques > Pédiatrie
Heinrichs, Claudine
De Schepper, Jean
Du Caju, Marc
Thiry-Counson, Geneviève
Maes, Marc
Language :
English
Title :
Prevalence and demographic features of childhood growth hormone deficiency in Belgium during the period 1986-2001
Publication date :
July 2004
Journal title :
European Journal of Endocrinology
ISSN :
0804-4643
eISSN :
1479-683X
Publisher :
BioScientifica Ltd, Bristol, United Kingdom
Volume :
151
Issue :
1
Pages :
67-72
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Funders :
BSGPE - Belgian Study Group for Pediatric Endocrinology [BE]
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