title: Growth hormone deficiency.
abstract: Growth hormone deficiency is relative, not absolute. Conventional stimulation tests of hGH release do not recognise some children who will benefit from hGH treatment and it is probably justified, at this point, undertaking a six month trial of hGH in all short children who are growing slowly (less than 4 cm/yr). Accurate anthropomorphic measurements are therefore obligatory. Most hGH deficient children (both idiopathic and secondary to cranial irradiation) have hypothalmic dysfunction as the cause of the deficiency. Treatment with hGH is most efficacious if given in frequent divided doses and GH-RH can also be used to treat some patients. Patients with Turner's syndrome and possibly other conditions associated with short stature may benefit from hGH treatment.
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000266:history; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D013006:Growth Hormone; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone