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Multicenter Study
. 2024 Mar 1;37(4):326-335.
doi: 10.1515/jpem-2023-0420. Print 2024 Apr 25.

Growth hormone treatment in children with short stature: impact of the diagnosis on parents

Stefanie Witt  1 , Janika Bloemeke  1 , Monika Bullinger  1 , Helmuth-Günther Dörr  2 , Neuza Silva  1 , Julia Hannah Quitmann  1
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

Growth hormone treatment in children with short stature: impact of the diagnosis on parents

Stefanie Witt et al. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. .

Abstract

Objectives: This prospective multicenter study aimed (1) to examine changes in parent-reported health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of children with short stature and the effects of the children's condition on parents themselves within the first year of human growth hormone (hGH) treatment and (2) to predict effects on parents based on main and interaction effects of children's HRQOL and increase in height.

Methods: A total of 110 parents of children aged 4-18 years, diagnosed with idiopathic growth hormone deficiency, small for gestational age, or idiopathic short stature, were recruited from 11 participating German pediatric endocrinologists and asked to fill out the short stature-specific Quality of Life in Short Stature Youth (QoLISSY) Questionnaire before hGH treatment was initiated and one year later.

Results: Negative effects of the children's short stature on the parents decrease over time, independent of diagnosis and treatment status. Furthermore, treatment status and height increase moderated the links between children's improved HRQOL as perceived by their parents and decreased caregiving burden.

Conclusions: Based on the children's improved HRQOL and the parent's decrease in caregiving burden, patient-reported outcomes that consider parental and child's perspectives should be considered when deciding on hGH treatment for children.

Keywords: health-related quality of life; human growth hormone treatment; parental burden; short-statured children.

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