Takeaway
- Girls with Turner syndrome may benefit in terms of final height acquisition from a combination of oxandrolone and growth hormone, according to this Cochrane analysis.
Why this matters
- Girls with Turner syndrome reach an adult height of about 8 inches (20 cm) less than the average for unaffected women.
- The addition of the androgen oxandrolone to growth hormone has been tried, but benefits and harms are not clear.
Key results
- Level of evidence was downgraded because of the small number of trials and small number of participants.
- For growth hormone vs combination with oxandrolone, the combination was superior, yielded a final adult height of more than 1 inch (2.7 cm) (P<.001; 5 trials; n=270; evidence quality, moderate).
- Adverse events did not differ between growth hormone alone and the combination.
- Results were mixed for virilisation, such as low voice, and for cognition and psychological status.
- No data on health-related QoL or mortality.
Study design
- Analysis of data from 6 randomised controlled trials that included 498 participants (267 taking combination; 231 growth hormone only; n range, 22-133).
- Funding: Metabolic and Endocrine Group, Cochrane, Germany; King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Limitations
- Few trials are available, and data are limited for some outcomes.
References
References
