CHILDHOOD-ONSET OF GH DEFICIENCY - REASSESSMENT OF GH STATUS AND EFFECTS OF SUBSTITUTION

The final height of 77 patients with growth hormone (GH) insufficiency of childhood onset was analysed. Patients were treated between 1968 a nd 1996 for 1-15 years. The mean final height in patients with severe GH deficiency was 163.9 cm (males) or 151.1 cm (female patients). In p atients with partial GH insufficiency, the mean final heights were 166 .2 and 157.7 cm, respectively, and in patients with GH deficiency caus ed by intracerebral tumours, 175.9 or 160.2 cm, respectively. Late est ablished diagnosis, lack of (pituitary) GH during the time prior to 19 80 or low frequency of injections per week were related to the fact th at final height was often below the target height range. In four of 51 retested patients with childhood onset GH deficiency, a normal respon se of the pituitary gland to pharmacological testing was found, wherea s all other patients still suffered from GH insufficiency. An increase d amount of fat and a decreased amount of lean body mass as well as lo w bone mineral density (12 out of 15 patients) could be demonstrated a t re-evaluation. (C) 1998 Churchill Livingstone.