Abstract:
Objective To evaluate the lifestyles and growth rate of children with growth hormone deficiency(GHD) treated with recombinant human growth hormone(rhGH) during the period of home isolation during the pandemic of COVID-19.
Method From March 9 to 12, 2020, a questionnaire survey was used to evaluate the lifestyles of 137 patients with growth hormone deficiency in our hospital during the epidemic. All the participants filled in the self-designed questionnaire, including general situation, sleep, physical activity, sedentary, screen time, and diet.
Result During the pandemic period, the children's annual height growth rate decreased by1.21 cm per year, while BMI increased by 0.26 compared with that before the pandemic(
P< 0. 05). The average sleep duration was10.59 hours per day during home isolation, and it was 0.7 hours longer than usual. The time to get up in the morning was 1.29 hours later than usual(
P< 0. 05), and the time to fall asleep at night was 0. 33 hours later than usual(
P< 0. 05). The daytime sleep duration had been shortened by nearly 0.26 hours(
P< 0. 05). The daily exercise time was 0. 15 hours less than usual(
P< 0. 05).There was no significant change in the number of exercise days per week as usual. The sedentary time increased by 0.39 hours(
P<0.05), while the screen time increased by 1.44 hours(
P< 0. 05). The frequency of eating high-calorie and high-sugar snacks was less than usual(
P< 0. 05). There was no significant difference in medication compliance.
Conclusion It is suggested that all patients should be followed up and evaluated. A variety of education should be adopted to promote children's healthy lifestyles to reduce the short-term growth rate reduction.