Reproducibility of growth hormone testing procedures: a comparison between 24-hour integrated concentration and pharmacological stimulation.
The purpose of this study was to compare the reproducibility of two approaches to the evaluation of GH secretion: the integrated concentration of GH (IC-GH), a physiological test of GH secretion, and pharmacological stimulation tests. IC-GH was determined in 40 poorly growing children twice within 4 weeks. The first and second IC-GH were highly correlated r = 0.859, P less than 0.001. One hundred and thirteen poorly growing children underwent pharmacological GH stimulation tests twice within 6 weeks. A moderate correlation was found between the first and second pharmacological test r = 0.524, P less than 0.01. Among the three pharmacological stimuli studied, clonidine (n = 81) had the highest reproducibility followed by arginine (n = 20), and insulin (n = 12). We conclude that IC-GH is more consistently reproducible than the GH response to repeated pharmacological stimulation.
Zadik
Z
Z
Pediatric Endocrine Unit, Kaplan Hospital, Rehovot, Israel.
Chalew
S A
SA
Gilula
Z
Z
Kowarski
A A
AA
D000293:Adolescent; D001120:Arginine; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D003000:Clonidine; D005260:Female; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000097:blood*; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
D007328:Insulin; D013006:Growth Hormone; D001120:Arginine; D003000:Clonidine