History and Current Status of Growth Hormone Treatment in Children.

Growth hormone (GH) has been used to treat severe GH deficiency for more than 60 years, with other indications dependent upon approval from national medical societies and governmental agencies. Many changes in GH preparations have been made to improve safety, compliance, and efficacy, from the extraction of GH from human pituitary glands to recombinant hormone technology and from the use of vials and syringes to the use of more advanced devices. Adherence to treatment has always been highlighted as a key point in the success of treatment; new depot preparations permitting weekly administration have advantages in this regard. This review summarizes the history of GH use and provides an analysis of the new weekly administration products.