title: Physiological growth hormone secretion in children with short stature and intra-uterine growth retardation.
abstract: 31 prepubertal children with short stature [mean height standard deviation score (SDS) -2.84] and low birth weight (mean -2.82 SDS) were studied. Mean age was 6.0 years and mean height velocity SDS was -0.76. Patients were classified as having either the clinical characteristics of Russell-Silver syndrome (RSS) (4 F, 13 M) or not (4 F, 10 M). All children had an overnight profile of spontaneous growth hormone (GH) secretion. 4 children achieved a maximum GH concentration of less than 20 mU/l. 9 children with RSS secreted only one large GH peak during the night. Most of the non-RSS group had normal GH pulse frequency but 3 boys had a fast-frequency pattern. Abnormal GH secretion may contribute towards growth failure in children with low birth weight/RSS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Growth and Development, Institute of Child Health, London, UK.
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Ackland
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stanhope
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Eyre
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hamill
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Preece
mesh_terms: D001827:Body Height; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D013006:Growth Hormone