Serum somatomedin A in growth retarded children.
The levels of serum somatomedin A were determined in 59 growth retarded Japanese children by a radioreceptor assay. Low levels were found in 10 children with growth hormone (GH) deficiency and 7 children with relative GH deficiency with means of 0.26 +/- 0.48 +/- 0.04 U/ml, respectively. Serum somatomedin A levels in 42 retarded children with normal growth hormone levels were within the range of normal adults, and did not correlate with degree of short stature. Significant increases of somatomedin A after hGH administration were found in children with growth hormone deficiency but not in children with normal growth hormone. These results show that determination of somatomedin A in serum corelates well with the state of growth hormone secretion, and is of great importance in the selection of patients for treatment with human growth hormone.
D000293:Adolescent; D000365:Age Determination by Skeleton; D001827:Body Height; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000097:blood*; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000172:deficiency; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013002:Somatomedins / Q000097:blood*
D013002:Somatomedins; D013006:Growth Hormone