CONTEXT: GH is used to treat short children born SGA; however, the effects of treatment on pubertal timing and adult height are scarcely studied.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate adult height and peak height velocity in short GH treated SGA children.

DESIGN AND SETTING: Prospective longitudinal multicentre study.

PARTICIPANTS: Short children born SGA treated with GH therapy (n=102). Adult height was reported in 47 children. A reference cohort of Danish children were used.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Adult height, peak height velocity, age at peak height, and pubertal onset. Pubertal onset was converted to SDS using Danish reference data.

RESULTS: Gain in height SDS from start of treatment until adult height was significant in both girls (0.94 (0.75; 1.53) SDS, p=0.02) and boys (1.57 (1.13; 2.15) SDS, p<0.001). No difference in adult height between GH dosage groups was observed. Peak height velocity was lower compared with a reference cohort for girls (6.5 (5.9; 7.6) cm/year vs 7.9 (7.4; 8.5) cm/year, p<0.001) and boys (9.5 (8.4; 10.7) cm/year vs 10.1 (9.7; 10.7) cm/year, p=0.002), but no difference in age at peak height velocity was seen. Puberty onset was earlier in SGA boys compared with a reference cohort (1.06 (-0.03; 1.96) SDS vs 0 SDS, p=0.002) but did notin girls 0.38 (-0.19; 1.05) SDS vs 0 SDS, p=0.18).

CONCLUSIONS: GH treatment improved adult height. Peak height velocity was reduced, but age at peak height velocity did not differ compared with the reference cohort. SGA boys had an earlier pubertal onset compared with the reference cohort.