title: Plasma growth hormone response to growth hormone-releasing hexapeptide (GH-RP-6) in children with short stature.
abstract: Eighteen children with short stature were evaluated for growth hormone (GH) reserve after pharmacological tests and a single iv injection of GH-RP-6. These children were divided into two groups: 10 were diagnosed as having idiopathic GH deficiency by classical stimulation tests (group A) and the remaining 8 (group B) were considered growth-retarded children with normal GH secretion, following conventional stimulation, but reduced endogenous GH secretion. The results were compared with a group of 12 normal children. As a group, patients in group A showed a lower GH response to GH-RP-6, while patients in group B had a similar response as normal controls. However, on an individual basis, a considerable degree of overlapping in responses among the three groups was evident. These data indicate that, on an individual basis, GH-RP-6 testing is not of diagnostic value in children suspected of having idiopathic GH deficiency.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004392:Dwarfism / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency*; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D010901:Pituitary Function Tests; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; D013006:Growth Hormone; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone