Growth problems manifest as excessive or insuficient growth, caused by incorrect hormone levels and can have a major impact on a person's life. Research by the pharmaceutical industry has led to synthetic hormones and other medicines which can help correct the imbalance. Thus, patients are able to take part in all activities of their age.
Disease: Growth Problems
Last update: July 2009
Intro
FAQ
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What are they?
Growth problems manifest as either insuficient growth or excessive growth. Growth is controlled by growth hormone. If too little is produced, growth is retarded. If too much, a condition called acromegaly results. -
Who is affected?
About 110,000 children in Europe suffer from a deficiency of growth hormone and therefor do not reach normal height. It is estimated that 1 in 10,000 of the population suffer from growth hormone deficiency as adults. Acromegaly results from an excess in growth hormones and affects around 15,000 people in Europe. -
What can be done about it?
Treatment of growth problems is highly sophisticated, and needs long term observation by a specialtst.
Biosynthetic growth hormone, that is identical to the natural growth hormone, has been used since 1985. Before that, growth hormone had to be extracted from brains of dead people. The main disadvantage of growth hormone is that it needs to be injected either every day or many times a week. This is unpleasant for children and their carers.
Acromegaly can be treated with surgery or radiotherapy. However, a new class of sophisticated medicines has been available. -
What does the future hold?
Research is underway into making growth hormone easier to use. Other developments are likely to come from the investment the pharmaceutical industry is making into a deeper understanding of the biology and genetics of cell growth.