Growth Hormone Therapy

  • You may be prescribed growth hormone for short stature if you are found to be growth-hormone deficient
  • There is no evidence or literature assessing the safety or efficacy of growth-hormone in people living with Duchenne who are not growth-hormone deficient
  • There may be potential risks associated with growth-hormone use, including headaches, idiopathic intracranial hypertension (high pressure in the brain and eyes), slipped capital femoral epiphyses (a hip disorder that can cause pain and may need surgery to fix), worsening of scoliosis, and increased risk of developing diabetes
  • Before deciding whether to use growth hormone, your endocrinologist should discuss the potential risks and benefits of treatment