Pediatric Growth Hormone Deficiency (GHD) in the Recombinant Human GH (rhGH) Era.

During the phase of using hGH extracted from pituitaries (pit hGH) - 1958-1985 - fundamental experience related to the diagnosis and treatment was accumulated. However, since recombinant hGH (rhGH) had become available diagnosis and treatment of GHD were conducted world-wide in a more standardized way. Treatment with rhGH was also accompanied by documentations in large international pharmaco-epidemiological surveys, which provided new insight. Despite of this development the treatment of children and adolescents with GHD raises still issues related to the most effective and efficacious as well as safe use of rhGH. This brief review attempts to discuss a few aspects related to these topics as they have developed during the rhGH era.