Abstract: Objective  To investigate the clinical effect of pegylated recombinant human growth hormone(PEG-rhGH) in the treatment of children with growth hormone deficiency(GHD) and its effect on lipid metabolism. 
Methods  Sixty children with GHD were randomly divided into observation group(n=31) and control group(n=29). The control group was treated with conventional nutrition therapy, and the observation group was supplemented with PEG-rhGH on the basis of conventional nutrition therapy by subcutaneous injection of 0.16-0.17 mg/kg per week for 6 months. The changes in height, weight and thyroid function ［thyrotropic hormone(TSH), free thyroxine index(FT4), free triiodothyronine（FT3), total thyroxine(T4), total triiodothyronine(T3)］, blood lipid profile total cholesterol(T-CHO), high density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C), triglyceride(TG), insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF-1) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3(IGF-BP3) of the two groups were measured before and at 6 months after treatment. 
Results  At 6 months after treatment, the height and weight of the observation group were significantly higher than those before treatment, and significantly higher than those of the control group, and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05). There was no significant difference in height and weight between two groups(P＞0.05). There was no significant intra-group or inter-group difference in TSH, FT4, FT3, T4, T3 levels before and after treatment(P＞0.05). The levels of TG, T-CHO, and LDL-C in the observation group were significantly lower than those before treatment, and significantly lower than those in the control group, with statistical significance(P＜0.05); No significant difference was noted in the HDL-C in the observation group before and after treatment(P＞0.05). The levels of TG, T-CHO, HDL-C, and LDL-C in the control group had no statistical significance compared with those before treatment(P＞0.05). The levels of IGF-1 and IGF-BP3 in the observation group were significantly higher than those before treatment and those in the control group(P＜0.05). The levels of IGF-1 and IGF-BP3 in the control group were not significantly different from those before treatment(P＞0.05). 
Conclusion  PEG-rhGH has obvious clinical effect in the treatment of children with GHD. It can improve height and weight, promote growth, improve lipid metabolism, and has no obvious adverse effect on thyroid function, with good safety.

Key words: dwarfism, pituitary, polyethylene glycol recombinant human growth hormone, treatment outcome