Growth hormone secretory dynamics in Turner syndrome.
We investigated whether a decrease in serum growth hormone contributes to the short stature of adults with Turner syndrome by measuring the 24-hour profile of serum growth hormone in 30 patients aged 2 to 20 years. Growth hormone pulses were defined as a rise from nadir to peak that exceeded three times the intraassay coefficient of variation. Girls with Turner syndrome aged 2 to 8 years did not have statistically different growth hormone levels, peak amplitudes, and peak frequencies compared with those in age-matched controls. By contrast, girls with Turner syndrome aged 9 to 20 years had significantly decreased mean 24-hour growth hormone levels, peak amplitudes, and peak frequencies compared with those in age-matched normal girls. Patients with Turner syndrome of all ages had decreased serum somatomedin-C concentrations and delayed bone ages. We conclude that a relative deficiency of growth hormone in pubertal patients with Turner syndrome may contribute to their adult short stature.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000365:Age Determination by Skeleton; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D013002:Somatomedins / Q000097:blood; D013997:Time Factors; D014424:Turner Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology
D013002:Somatomedins; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D013006:Growth Hormone