Accretropin Side Effects

Generic name: somatropin

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Mar 31, 2025.

Note: This document provides detailed information about Accretropin Side Effects associated with somatropin. Some dosage forms listed on this page may not apply specifically to the brand name Accretropin.

Applies to somatropin: powder for solution, solution.

Other dosage forms:

• powder for solution

Precautions

If you will be taking this medicine for a long time, it is very important that your doctor check you and your child's progress at regular visits. Blood and urine tests may be needed to check for any problems or unwanted effects that may be caused by this medicine.

This medicine may cause serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis and angioedema, which are life-threatening and require immediate medical attention. Tell your doctor right away if you or your child have a rash, itching, swelling of the face, tongue, or throat, trouble breathing, or chest pain after receiving the medicine.

This medicine may cause a dislocation in the hip bone, especially in patients with growth hormone deficiency or Turner syndrome. Check with your doctor right away if you or your child has a limp or pain in the hip or knee.

This medicine may affect blood sugar levels. Check with your doctor if you notice a change in the results of your or your child's blood or urine sugar tests or if you have any questions.

This medicine may cause an increased pressure in the head. Check with your doctor immediately if headache, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, or any other change in vision occurs during treatment. Your doctor may want you to have your or your child's eyes checked by an ophthalmologist (eye doctor).

This medicine may cause fluid retention (extra water in the body). Tell your doctor if you or your child have burning, numbness, pain, or tingling in all fingers except the smallest finger, swelling of the hands and feet, or pain, swelling, or stiffness of the muscles. Your doctor may adjust your dose to reduce these side effects.

Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) has occurred rarely in some patients receiving somatropin (the active ingredient contained in Accretropin) Tell your doctor right away if you or your child have sudden and severe stomach pain, chills, constipation, nausea, vomiting, fever, or lightheadedness.

Check with your doctor right away if you have darkening of skin, diarrhea, dizziness, fainting, loss of appetite, mental depression, nausea, skin rash, unusual tiredness or weakness, or vomiting. These may be symptoms of an adrenal gland problem (hypoadrenalism).

Using this medicine may increase your or your child's risk of getting cancer. Talk to your doctor if you have concerns about this risk.

Before you have any medical tests, tell the medical doctor in charge that you are using this certain brand of somatropin (Humatrope®, Norditropin®, or Zomacton®). The results of some tests may be affected by this medicine.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.

Serious side effects of Accretropin

Along with its needed effects, somatropin may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking somatropin:

Get emergency help immediately if any of the following symptoms of overdose occur while taking somatropin:

Symptoms of overdose

• backache
• excessive sweating
• extreme weakness
• increase in hand and foot size
• increased volume of pale, diluted urine
• pain in the arms or legs
• stop in menstruation

Other side effects of Accretropin

Some side effects of somatropin may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.

Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

For healthcare professionals

Applies to somatropin: injectable kit, injectable powder for injection, subcutaneous kit, subcutaneous powder for injection, subcutaneous solution.

General adverse events

The most common adverse events were glucose intolerance, fluid retention, injection site reactions, and unmasking of latent central hypothyroidism.^[Ref]

Other

• Very common (10% or more): Otitis media (up to 86.4%), surgical procedure (44.6%), peripheral edema (45.4%), edema (25%), flu syndrome (22.9%), ear disorders (17.6%), peripheral swelling (17.5%), leg edema (15%), pain in extremities (19.3%), pain (13.5%), headache (11.4%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Hematoma, fatigue, flu-like symptoms, asthenia, fatigue, generalized edema
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Weakness
• Frequency not reported: Sudden death, pyrexia, ear infection, influenza-like illness, otitis externa,
• Postmarketing reports: Increased blood alkaline phosphatase level^[Ref]

Endocrine

• Very common (10% or more): IGF-1 scores above 2 standard deviations (38%), hypothyroidism (16%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Hypothyroidism
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Central precocious puberty
• Frequency not reported: Unmasking of latent central hypothyroidism
• Postmarketing reports: Decrease in serum thyroxin levels^[Ref]

Musculoskeletal

• Very common (10% or more): Arthralgia (37.1%), myalgia (30.4%), scoliosis (23.8%), skeletal pain (11%), back pain (10.9%), arthrosis (10.7%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Musculoskeletal stiffness, stiffness of extremities, joint stiffness, joint swelling, joint disorder, leg pain, hip pain, progression of preexisting scoliosis,
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Localized muscle pain, jaw prominence, slipped capital femoral epiphysis
• Frequency not reported: fracture, joint pain, growth attenuation, interference with growth response, excessive growth of hands or feet, exacerbation of preexisting scoliosis, disproportionate growth of the lower jaw, fracture
• Postmarketing reports: Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease^[Ref]

Scoliosis was reported as an adverse event in 5 out of 21 children with Noonan Syndrome who were followed for 11 years.^[Ref]

Metabolic

• Very common (10% or more): Impaired fasting glucose (22%), elevated HbA1c (14%), blood glucose increased (13.8%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, glucose tolerance abnormal, fluid retention, hypertriglyceridemia, overt type II diabetes mellitus
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Diabetes mellitus, abnormalities of carbohydrate metabolism (glucose intolerance and high serum HbA1c)
• Frequency not reported: Glucose intolerance including impaired glucose tolerance/impaired fasting glucose, increased appetite, transient episodes of fasting blood sugars between 100 and 126 mg/dL, transient episodes of fasting blood sugars exceeding 126 mg/dL, increased fasting blood glucose levels, increases in insulin levels, insulin resistance
• Postmarketing reports: Exacerbation of preexisting diabetes mellitus, diabetic ketoacidosis, diabetic coma^[Ref]

Nervous system

• Very common (10% or more): Paresthesia (17.3%), hypoesthesia (15%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Hypesthesia, fatigue, carpal tunnel syndrome, Tinel's sign
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Benign intracranial hypertension, motor problem, seizure^[Ref]

Intracranial hypertension with papilledema, visual changes, headache, nausea, and/or vomiting has been reported in a small number of patients.^[Ref]

Gastrointestinal

• Very common (10% or more): Pharyngitis (14.3%),
• Common (1% to 10%): Nausea, gastroenteritis, gastritis
• Frequency not reported: Abdominal pain, increased appetite
• Postmarketing reports: Pancreatitis^[Ref]

Hepatic

• Very common (10% or more): AST increased (12.5%)
• Common (1% to 10%): ALT increased^[Ref]

Hematologic

• Very common (10% or more): Eosinophilia (12%)^[Ref]

Ocular

• Very common (10% or more): Periorbital edema
• Frequency not reported: Diabetic retinopathy^[Ref]

Respiratory

• Very common (10% or more): Upper respiratory infection (15.9%), rhinitis (13.5%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Bronchitis, cough increased, laryngitis, respiratory disorder, dyspnea, sleep apnea
• Frequency not reported: Influenza, tonsillitis, nasopharyngitis, sinusitis, bronchitis^[Ref]

Immunologic

• Very common (10% or more): Anti-rhGH antibodies (24%), infection (non-viral) (13%)
• Frequency not reported: Antibody formation, anti-periplasmic Escherichia coli peptides (PECP) antibodies^[Ref]

An IgG antibody has been identified. No antibodies to the IgE class have been detected. Growth hormone antibody binding capacities less than 2 mg/L have not led to growth attenuation. Testing for antibodies should be carried out in any patient failing to respond to treatment.

Primate studies have failed to reveal evidence of histopathological changes due to immune complex formation.^[Ref]

Local

• Common (1% to 10%): Injection site pain
• Frequency not reported: Injection site reactions/rashes, lipoatrophy, nodules, rash, inflammation, pigmentation, bleeding^[Ref]

Hypersensitivity

• Common (1% to 10%): Hypersensitivity to solvent (m-cresol/glycerol)
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Generalized hypersensitivity reactions
• Postmarketing reports: Hypersensitivity^[Ref]

Cardiovascular

• Common (1% to 10%): Hypertension
• Frequency not reported: Cardiac disorders^[Ref]

Dermatologic

• Common (1% to 10%): Increased sweating, excessive number of cutaneous nevi, acne
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Pruritus
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Rash
• Frequency not reported: Hair loss, progression of pigmented nevi, eczema^[Ref]

Genitourinary

• Common (1% to 10%): Gynecomastia, breast-related adverse reactions (e.g. nipple pain,
• Frequency not reported: Urinary tract infection^[Ref]

gynecomastia, breast pain/mass/tenderness/swelling/edema/hypertrophy)

Psychiatric

• Common (1% to 10%): Insomnia
• Frequency not reported: Aggressiveness, altered mood^[Ref]

Renal

• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Glucosuria
• Frequency not reported: Hematuria^[Ref]

Oncologic

• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Leukemia
• Frequency not reported: Intracranial tumors including meningiomas, melanocytic nevus^[Ref]

See also:

Further information

Accretropin side effects can vary depending on the individual. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Note: Medication side effects may be underreported. If you are experiencing side effects that are not listed, submit a report to the FDA by following this guide.

Medical Disclaimer