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.
Methods: Cross 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.
Results: A 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 years-representing 19.8/100 000 children in that age range in the UK-and 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.
Conclusions: A 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.