@Article{Beshlawy2010,
journal="Archives of Medical Science",
issn="1734-1922",
volume="6",
number="1",
year="2010",
title="Screening of growth hormone deficiency in short thalassaemic patients and effect of L-carnitine treatment",
abstract=" Introduction:   Evaluation of growth hormone (GH) in short thalassaemic patients and effect of L-carnitine therapy in those with hormone deficiency.   Material and methods:   The study included 30 b-thalassaemic patients aged 13.8 \&#177;1.7 years and 30 children with constitutional short stature as controls. Anthropometric measurements (basal and after 6 months), thyroid profile, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and GH provocation by 2 tests were carried out. Eight patients with inadequate GH response to both clonidine and ITT were given L-carnitine treatment for 6 months. They were re-evaluated (clinically, anthropometrically and in the laboratory by doing GH stimulation test) after  6 months of therapy.   Results:   Twelve (40%) patients had sub-clinical hypothyroidism and 10 (33.3%) had growth hormone deficiency (GHD). Peak GH and growth velocity (cm and standard deviation score [SDS]) were significantly lower while weight (SDS) and weight/height SDS were significantly higher than in patients with constitutional short stature (p < 0.05). A significant positive correlation was found between height and target height (cm). Haemoglobin levels, peak GH, IGF-1 and growth velocity (cm \& SDS) were significantly higher and the number of blood transfusions was significantly lower in GH deficiency patients after L-carnitine treatment (p < 0.05). Delta changes were higher in height (cm \& SDS), estimated mature height and sitting height and lower in target height \&#8211; height (SDS and cm) six months after L-carnitine treatment in b-thalassaemic patients with GHD  (p < 0.05).   Conclusions:   Growth hormone deficiency is an aetiological factor in thalassaemic patients with short stature. L-carnitine can promote GH secretion and growth.",
author="Beshlawy, Amal El
and Dayem, Soha M. Abd El
and Mougy, Fatma El
and Gafar, Esmat Abd El
and Samir, Hend",
pages="90--95",
doi="10.5114/aoms.2010.13513",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.5114/aoms.2010.13513"
}