SCREENING-TEST FOR GROWTH-HORMONE DEFICIENCY - USEFULNESS OF L-DOPA-PROPRANOLOL PROVOCATIVE TEST

This is a retrospective review of 185 short children who were tested f or growth hormone (GH) secretion using the L-dopa-propranolol provocat ive test. One hundred and thirty-three children were deemed to have pa ssed the screening test when a GH concentration of greater than 15 miu /L was elicited after stimulation. Fifty-two failed the screening test , of which 33 were diagnosed as having growth hormone deficiency (GHD) when they had inadequate growth hormone response to insulin-induced h ypoglycaemia. The other 19 were low-responders since they showed adequ ate GH response to insulin tolerance test (ITT). The low-responder rat e to L-dopa-propranolol provocative test among short children who are not GH deficient was 12.5%. The low cost of L-dopa and propranolol, th e simplicity and safety of the test, and the acceptable rate of low-re sponders make the test an effective screening test for GHD.