National Cooperative Growth Study: 25 Years of Growth Hormone Data, Insights, and Lessons for Future Registries.

BACKGROUND: The National Cooperative Growth Study (NCGS) data are reviewed from 1985-2010 to report on final demographic, efficacy, and safety findings, and to illustrate the value of long-term, real-world follow-up to physicians and patients.

METHODS: The NCGS was a multicenter, open-label, observational, postmarketing surveillance study of Genentech growth hormone (GH) products for the treatment of children with growth failure in North America.

FINDINGS: Data from 65,205 patients representing 240,951 patient-years of experience were collected. All etiological groups had clinically meaningful improvements in near-adult height SDS. Females and African Americans were under-represented in the NCGS with little change in accrual over time. The favorable safety profile of GH was validated through the registry.

CONCLUSIONS: Twenty-five years of monitoring GH use through the NCGS yielded extensive insight into the utility of GH in various underlying etiologies. Demographic disparities were clear and became evident by analyzing data collected through the registry.