Article
Audit
UK Audit of Childhood Growth Hormone Prescription, 1998
J Hilken, for the British Society for
Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes Clinical Trials/Audit
Group
Clinical
Trials & Audit Group, Department of Paediatrics, Box 116, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 2QQ, UK
Correspondence to: Ms Hilken jeh48{at}cam.ac.uk
Accepted 21 February
2001
AIMS
To identify all young people
prescribed growth hormone in the UK as of 1 October 1998 and to
determine their age, sex, and the indication for therapy.
METHODSCross sectional national
postal audit through members of the British Society for Paediatric
Endocrinology and Diabetes (BSPED) and other paediatricians identified
as potential prescribers of growth hormone. Main outcome measures were
age, sex, and numbers of children receiving growth hormone by
diagnostic category, analysed throughout the UK and by NHS region.
RESULTSA total of 3228 children (aged 0.3 to 23.9 years) receiving growth hormone were
identified by contacting 171 paediatricians (149 BSPED members). Of
these, 2395 (74%) were identified who were under 16 yearsrepresenting 19.8/100 000 children in that age range in the
UKand in whom full data concerning diagnostic category were
available. In the under 16s, there were 1209 (50.4%) boys and 1186 (49.6%) girls (excluding the 477 girls with Turner's syndrome: 63%
boys and 37% girls). A total of 78% of the prescriptions were for
licensed indications (primary and secondary growth hormone deficiency,
Turner's syndrome, and chronic renal disease); 22% were for
unlicensed indications (intrauterine growth restriction, bony
dysplasia, Noonan syndrome, and other "short normals"). These proportions are similar to those reported in previous audits and by
postmarketing surveillance from Pharmacia & Upjohn Ltd in the year
2000. Patterns of treatment were relatively uniform between regions.
CONCLUSIONSA national audit of UK
growth hormone prescription indicates uniform prescribing practice
between regions, low levels of prescription beyond licensed
indications, and stable patterns of prescribing practice over the past
two years.
Keywords: growth hormone; audit; prescription
© 2001 by Archives of Disease in Childhood
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