What is Somatropin rh GH
Somatropin, rh-GH is a purified recombinant growth hormone prepared by using either Escherichia coli or mammalian-cells. Endogenous human growth hormone (hGH) is produced in the pituitary gland.
Growth hormone was first isolated in 1956, and its structure was identified in 1972. Prior to 1985, growth hormone (GH) was derived from human cadavers; however, the use of human derived GH was stopped due to contamination of the product with Creutzfeldt-Jakob virus.
Somatropin is approved for treating growth hormone deficiency (GHD), growth failure, or short stature and for treating cachexia and AIDS wasting; it is also approved for adults with short bowel syndrome.
Somatropin has been studied in the treatment of HIV-associated adipose redistribution syndrome (HARS); limited short-term data indicate use may decrease visceral adipose tissue.
Several somatropin products are available, all with varying indications and dosage regimens. Care should be taken in product selection as products may not be considered interchangeable. Somatropin was originally approved by the FDA in 1987.
Indications & Dosage
- AIDS-associated wasting syndrome
- cachexia
- growth failure
- growth hormone deficiency
- HIV-associated lipodystrophy
- Noonan syndrome
- Prader-Willi syndrome
- short bowel syndrome
- SHOX (short stature homeobox-containing gene) deficiency
- Turner syndrome
Side Effects
- abdominal pain
- acne vulgaris
- alopecia
- anaphylactoid reactions
- anemia
- angioedema
- antibody formation
- arthralgia
- asthenia
- back pain
- bleeding
- carpal tunnel syndrome
- chest pain (unspecified)
- cough
- depression
- diabetes mellitus
- diabetic ketoacidosis
- diaphoresis
- diarrhea
- dizziness
- edema
- elevated hepatic enzymes
- eosinophilia
- erythema
- fatigue
- fever
- fluid retention
- gastritis
- gynecomastia
- headache
- hematoma
- hematuria
- hyperglycemia
- hyperlipidemia
- hypertension
- hypertriglyceridemia
- hypoesthesia
- hypoglycemia
- hypothyroidism
- increased intracranial pressure
- infection
- injection site reaction
- insomnia
- maculopapular rash
- musculoskeletal pain
- myalgia
- nausea
- new primary malignancy
- pancreatitis
- papilledema
- paresthesias
- peripheral edema
- pruritus
- psoriasis
- rash
- rhinitis
- seizures
- skin hyperpigmentation
- vomiting
- weakness
Monitoring Parameters
- bone age determination
- growth rate
- ophthalmologic exam
- serum growth hormone concentrations
- thyroid function tests (TFTs)
Contraindications
- adrenal insufficiency
- benzyl alcohol hypersensitivity
- breast-feeding
- chemotherapy
- children
- cresol hypersensitivity
- diabetes mellitus
- diabetic retinopathy
- epiphyseal closure
- females
- geriatric
- glycerin hypersensitivity
- history of angioedema
- hypothyroidism
- increased intracranial pressure
- neonates
- neoplastic disease
- new primary malignancy
- obesity
- otitis media
- pancreatitis
- pregnancy
- radiation therapy
- renal impairment
- renal osteodystrophy
- respiratory infection
- respiratory insufficiency
- scoliosis
- serious hypersensitivity reactions or anaphylaxis
- sleep apnea
- surgery
- trauma
Interactions
- Acarbose
- Acetohexamide
- Albiglutide
- Alogliptin
- Alogliptin; Metformin
- Alogliptin; Pioglitazone
- Amprenavir
- Antidiabetic Agents
- Atazanavir
- Atazanavir; Cobicistat
- Azelastine; Fluticasone
- Beclomethasone
- Betamethasone
- Budesonide
- Budesonide; Formoterol
- Canagliflozin
- Canagliflozin; Metformin
- Chlorpropamide
- Ciclesonide
- Corticosteroids
- Corticotropin, ACTH
- Cortisone
- Cyclosporine
- Dapagliflozin
- Dapagliflozin; Metformin
- Dapagliflozin; Saxagliptin
- Darunavir
- Darunavir; Cobicistat
- Darunavir; Cobicistat; Emtricitabine; Tenofovir alafenamide
- Dasabuvir; Ombitasvir; Paritaprevir; Ritonavir
- Deflazacort
- Delavirdine
- Dexamethasone
- Dulaglutide
- Efavirenz
- Efavirenz; Emtricitabine; Tenofovir
- Efavirenz; Lamivudine; Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate
- Empagliflozin
- Empagliflozin; Linagliptin
- Empagliflozin; Linagliptin; Metformin
- Empagliflozin; Metformin
- Ertugliflozin
- Ertugliflozin; Metformin
- Ertugliflozin; Sitagliptin
- Estrogens
- Etravirine
- Exenatide
- Fludrocortisone
- Flunisolide
- Fluticasone
- Fluticasone; Salmeterol
- Fluticasone; Umeclidinium; Vilanterol
- Fluticasone; Vilanterol
- Formoterol; Mometasone
- Fosamprenavir
- Glimepiride
- Glimepiride; Pioglitazone
- Glimepiride; Rosiglitazone
- Glipizide
- Glipizide; Metformin
- Glyburide
- Glyburide; Metformin
- Hydrocortisone
- Indinavir
- Insulin Aspart
- Insulin Aspart; Insulin Aspart Protamine
- Insulin Degludec; Liraglutide
- Insulin Detemir
- Insulin Glargine
- Insulin Glargine; Lixisenatide
- Insulin Glulisine
- Insulin Lispro
- Insulin Lispro; Insulin Lispro Protamine
- Insulin, Inhaled
- Isophane Insulin (NPH)
- Lente Insulin
- Levothyroxine
- Levothyroxine; Liothyronine (Porcine)
- Levothyroxine; Liothyronine (Synthetic)
- Linagliptin
- Linagliptin; Metformin
- Liothyronine
- Liraglutide
- Lixisenatide
- Lopinavir; Ritonavir
- Macimorelin
- Mecasermin rinfabate
- Mecasermin, Recombinant, rh-IGF-1
- Metformin
- Metformin; Pioglitazone
- Metformin; Repaglinide
- Metformin; Rosiglitazone
- Metformin; Saxagliptin
- Metformin; Sitagliptin
- Methylprednisolone
- Miglitol
- Mometasone
- Nateglinide
- Nelfinavir
- Nevirapine
- Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors
- Ombitasvir; Paritaprevir; Ritonavir
- Pioglitazone
- Pramlintide
- Prednisolone
- Prednisone
- Protease inhibitors
- Regular Insulin
- Regular Insulin; Isophane Insulin (NPH)
- Repaglinide
- Ritonavir
- Rosiglitazone
- Saquinavir
- Saxagliptin
- Semaglutide
- Simvastatin; Sitagliptin
- Sitagliptin
- Testosterone
- Thyroid hormones
- Tipranavir
- Tolazamide
- Tolbutamide
- Triamcinolone
- Ultralente Insulin
