Somatropin

Description

Somatropin is a drug that has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for various uses, though it is mainly used to treat growth disorders in children and growth hormone deficiency in adults. Somatropin is FDA-approved under the brand name Serostim to treat HIV-associated wasting or cachexia in people with HIV. Off-label use of somatropin may include treatment of HIV-associated lipodystrophy syndrome.

Indications

Somatotropin has approved indications in both the adult and pediatric populations. In the United States, recombinant human growth hormone is used in the pediatric population to treat short stature due to growth hormone deficiency (including idiopathic [of unknown cause] growth hormone deficiency), Turner syndrome, Noonan syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, short stature homeobox-containing gene (SHOX) deficiency, chronic renal insufficiency, idiopathic short stature and children small for gestational age.

Side effects

Common side effects of Somatropin may include:
pain, itching, or skin changes where the medicine was injected;
swelling, rapid weight gain;
muscle or joint pain;
numbness or tingling;
stomach pain, gas;
headache, back pain;
orcold or flu symptoms, stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat, ear pain.