Study suggests optimal method for giving children's medications

July 18 (UPI) -- Researchers at the University of Liverpool and Alder Hey Children's Hospital have created a new method that may improve the optimal dosing of children's medications.

Obesity is increasing in children worldwide but there is a wide variation depending on geographic location from 16.9 percent in the United States to 0.5 percent in Denmark.

Children's medication doses are often based on total body weight, however, obesity can make the process of establishing the correct dose more difficult.

The study, published July 17 in PLOS ONE, analyzed the doses of growth hormone children received, the growth result and the amount of IGF-1 protein they produced.

The researchers found the beneficial effects were related to dose, but in obese children with the highest body mass index, or BMI, there was a capped effect where no more growth could take place.

Increased dosage to account for increased weight did, however, continue to increase the levels of IGF-1 in patients.

"Our study shows that using newer dosing methods may actually help those with the lowest and highest BMIs get the beneficial effects while potentially minimizing the harmful effects," Dr. Dan Hawcutt, a pediatric clinical pharmacologist, said in a press release.

"In addition, these dosing strategies could save the NHS [National Health Service] a considerable amount of money. This research paves the way for clinical trials to establish which is the most effective and safe growth hormone dosing strategy for children and young people."