抄録
Growth hormone (GH) secretion in short children was evaluated by the insulin and arginine tests and by measurements of spontaneous secretion. The patients' height velocities were analysed on the basis of their GH secretory responses. The basal height velocities showed positive correlations with spontaneous GH secretion. Height velocities during the 1st year of GH therapy showed negative correlations with spontaneous secretion and the results of the insulin tests. Pharmcological tests revealed that the basal height velocity was lowest in patients with classical GH deficiency and higher values were observed in non-classical GH deficiency and non-endocrine short stature. Patients with classical GH deficiency did not always show low spontaneous secretion of GH. Inconsistent results between the pharmacological stimulation tests and spontaneous secretion were observed in 11.6 % of 129 short children. Half of these showed normal responses to the pharmacological tests and low spontaneous secretion, and half showed low GH responses to pharmacological tests and normal spontaneous secretion. It was not possible to distinguish these patients except by GH secretory studies.
It is concluded that low spontaneous secretion of GH indicates GH deficiency.
