Čes-slov Pediat 2025, 80(90):7-17 | DOI: 10.55095/CSPediatrie2025/052

40 years of "growth hormone era": Czech footprint in the global recognition and treatment of children with growth disorders

Jan Lebl^{1, *}, Jiřina Zapletalová^{2, *}

¹ Pediatrická klinika, 2. lékařská fakulta, Univerzita Karlova a Fakultní nemocnice v Motole, Praha

² Dětská klinika, Lékařská fakulta, Univerzita Palackého a Fakultní nemocnice, Olomouc

Recombinant human growth hormone was firstly used 40 years ago. The "growth hormone era" substantially increased the research interest in growth regulation and in elucidation etiopathogenesis of various growth disorders. Some research findings led to novel indications of growth hormone therapy. Alongside with growth hormone deficiency, growth hormone is currently indicated for treatment of pediatric patients with Turner syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, Noonan syndrome, with SHOX gene/protein deficiency, in those born small for gestational age with short stature in childhood (SGA-SS), and in short children with chronic renal disease. This review is predominantly focused on original Czech research projects in growth disorders, an on their publication outcomes.

Keywords: growth hormone deficiency, Turner syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, SGA-SS, SHOX deficiency, Noonan syndrome

Accepted: September 23, 2025; Published: September 1, 2025  Show citation