Diagnostic and prognostic value of short-term metabolic response to human growth hormone in short stature

摘要

Metabolic tests of the response to three days of administration of human growth hormone (HGH) have been done on 55 patients aged 6·2 to 20·3 years. 22 had `isolated' growth hormone deficiency (or hyposomatotrophic short stature, HS), 16 CNS tumours or multiple hormone deficiencies, 6 short stature associated with low birthweight, 3 psychosocial short stature, 4 Turner's syndrome, 1 hereditary short stature, and 3 uncertain diagnosis. Height was measured at 3-monthly intervals for a full year, then HGH was given for a full year and the difference in rate, that is the acceleration during the growth hormone year, was calculated. The height measurements were all done by one measurer in 45 of the patients.