The Association between Somatotropin Therapy and the Risk of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Children with Short Stature: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Gherta Brill, Iris Manor, Roberta Bril Paroz, Shai Ashkenazi, Shira Cohen, Avivit Golan-Cohen, Ilan Green, Ariel Israel, Shlomo Vinker, Abraham Weizman*, Eugene Merzon

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

COVID-19 is a worldwide pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2, to which adults are usually more susceptible than children. Growth hormone (GH) levels differ between children and adults and decrease with age. There is bidirectional crosstalk between the GH/insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) pathway and the immune system that plays a significant role in SARS-CoV-2 infection. We evaluated the association between somatotropin treatment (GH replacement therapy) and the risk for SARS-CoV-2 positivity (a marker for COVID-19 infection) in children with growth hormone issues (GHI): growth hormone deficiency (GHD) and idiopathic short stature (ISS). A population-based cross-sectional study in Leumit Health Services (LHS) was performed using the electronic health record (EHR) database. The rates of SARS-CoV-2 positivity were evaluated among children with GHI, treated or untreated with somatotropin. Higher rates of SARS-CoV-2 positivity were found in GHI children, influenced by the same confounders reported in the pediatric population. A lower prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 PCR positivity was found among the somatotropin-treated children. A multivariate analysis documented that somatotropin treatment was associated with a reduced risk of SARS-CoV-2 positivity (Odds Ratio (OR) = 0.47, Confidence Interval (CI) 0.24–0.94, p = 0.032). Thus, somatotropin might be a protective factor against SARS-CoV-2 infections, possibly related to its immunomodulatory activity.

Original languageEnglish
Article number1844
JournalChildren
Volume9
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2022

Keywords

  • ADHD
  • COVID-19
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • growth hormone
  • growth hormone deficiency
  • idiopathic short stature
  • immune system
  • short stature
  • somatotropin

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