정상 신장 아동의 성장호르몬 치료에 대한 체계적 문헌고찰

Abstract

Objectives: The increasing demand for growth hormone (GH) therapy to enhance adult height in children with normal stature lacks sufficient scientific evidence regarding its effectiveness and safety in healthy pediatric populations. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of GH treatment in children of normal height. Methods: Systematic searches on three inter- national databases (Ovid-MEDLINE, Ovid-EMBASE, and CENTRAL) and five domestic databases including KoreaMed were performed. The review adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Sys- tematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. For the assessment of effectiveness and safety, studies with comparative designs were included, and for safety evaluation, single-arm studies were additionally considered. Study selection was independently performed by two reviewers based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results: No studies meeting the eligibility criteria were identified. A total of 2,905 studies were initially screened, of which 2,122 were included for ti- tle and abstract review. After further evaluation of abstracts and full texts, all 2,122 studies were ex- cluded. Ultimately, no studies were selected, as no comparative research was found that investigated the safety and effectiveness of GH therapy in children of normal height. Conclusion: GH therapy provides clear benefits when appropriately prescribed for children with growth disorders. However, caution is warranted when GH is used for non-medical purposes, such as cosmetic height enhance- ment, rather than for treating a medical condition. Further research is necessary to establish the safety, efficacy, and long-term implications of GH therapy in children with normal height.