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Comment on Growth Hormone Therapy and Retinal Changes Mimicking Diabetic Retinopathy

Department of Pediatrics Regional Hospital of Bolzano, Italy 39100

Monica Lepidi

Department of Ophthalmology Regional Hospital of Bolzano, Italy 39100

We read with interest the paper of Koller et al. (1) suggesting that GH therapy could play a role in inducing retinal changes, mimicking diabetic retinopathy in two nondiabetic patients (one adult and one child). There have also been several studies postulating the possible role of GH in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy. We are currently involved in a long-term study, the aim of which is to improve the final height of GH-deficient children, by using higher doses of GH (30 U/m²/weekly). Following the publication of the above mentioned paper, we felt it was important to look for any retinal changes in our pediatric population. All our patients (48 males, 37 females), age 10.4 ± 2.6 yr, treated for a mean period of 6.4 ± 2.9 yr were affected by isolated GH deficiency. None of them complained of any visual disturbances during GH treatment. They all underwent a funduscopic examination during a routine follow-up visit, which was performed by the same observer (M.L.).

No signs of neovascularization or any other retinal changes were found in any of the patients. We, therefore, think that our observations are reassuring, since even with high GH doses, as commonly used in Turner’s syndrome, no retinal changes were seen. It would be, however, interesting to see whether this could be confirmed by a similar study in adults.

Footnotes

Address correspondence to: Giorgio Radetti, Department of Paediatrics, Regional Hospital, via L. Boehler 5, Bolzano, Italy 39100.

Received September 2, 1999.

References

1. Koller EA, Green L, Gertner JM, et al. 1998 Retinal changes mimicking diabetic retinopathy in two nondiabetic, growth hormone-treated patients. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 83:2380–2383.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

This article has been cited by other articles:

				E. A. Koller, L. Green, and S. Malozowski Comment on Growth Hormone Therapy and Retinal Changes Mimicking Diabetic Retinopathy J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., February 1, 2000; 85(2): 923a - 923. [Full Text]

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