Growth-hormone surveillance program continues CMAJ 1997;156:971 © 1997 Canadian Medical Association The Canadian Growth Hormone Advisory Committee is continuing its surveillance of patients who were treated with pituitary-derived growth hormone (GH) during childhood. To date, no cases of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) related to the hormone have been reported in Canada, Japan or Australia. Since 1985, when CJD was reported in young adults who had received GH, more than 70 cases have been reported worldwide, notably in France (40), the United Kingdom (15) and the US (15). In an advisory notice sent to CMAJ, committee chair Dr. Heather Dean noted that since 1988 more than 45 cases of leukemia have been reported in children and young adults treated with GH; 2 of the cases involved Canadians. Pseudotumour cerebri has also been reported worldwide in association with early GH therapy, most often in children with chronic renal failure, Turner's syndrome or GH deficiency with obesity; 4 of these cases have been reported in Canada. Physicians who note any unexplained neurologic or hematologic changes in persons previously treated with GH are asked to contact Dean at the University of Manitoba, 204 787-4553 or 787-7435. Send a letter to the editor responding to this article Envoyez une lettre à la rédaction au sujet de cet article | CMAJ April 1, 1997 (vol 156, no 7) / JAMC le 1er avril 1997 (vol 156, no 7) |