SOUTHAMPTON, England, July 20 (UPI) -- Growth hormone injections appear to boost height in short, healthy children, but height gain appears to peak at about 3 inches, says a British review.
Even after treatment, children with idiopathic -- meaning their height does not result from a medical condition -- short stature who received growth hormone injections remained relatively short, according to lead author Jackie Bryant, a senior research fellow at the University of Southampton.
However, there is no indication that increases in height will improve a child's quality of life, says Bryant.
The researchers analyzed 10 randomized controlled trials involving growth hormone therapy in 741 children with idiopathic short stature.
The studies compared children receiving growth hormone therapy for at least six months with children who did not receive treatment or received a placebo.
Each half-inch in final height gained via human growth hormone therapy costs anywhere from $18,000 to $36,600, according to the review published in The Cochrane Library.
