Diagnostic value of serum insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 in children with or without growth hormone deficiency.
OBJECTIVE
To study the value of serum insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) levels in differential diagnosis of growth hormone deficiency (GHD).


METHODS
To measure serum IGFBP-3 levels by RIA in normal children and adolescents, GHD children and short-stature children without GHD.


RESULTS
Serum level of IGFBP-3 in 129 children with untreated GHD and with no pubertal development was 1.6 +/- 0.9 mg/L, which was less than that in normal group of the same age, but overlapped with the normal children in Tanner stage I. After six-month treatment with recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH), serum level of IGFBP-3 in 59 GHD significantly increased from 1.3 +/- 0.7 mg/L to 2.7 +/- 0.9 mg/L, accompanied by an increase of body heights, growth velocities and serum level of IGF-1. Serum level of IGFBP-3 in 55 short-stature children without GHD was 3.3 +/- 2.2 mg/L, which was not significantly different from that in normal group.


CONCLUSIONS
Serum IGFBP-3 level can reflect the status of GH secretion in children with GHD and is a useful marker for differential diagnosis of GHD.
Qin
Shuwen
S
Department of Endocrinology, PUMC Hospital, CAMS and PUMC, Beijing 100730. qinshuwen@yahoo.com
Shi
Yifan
Y
Deng
Jieying
J
D000293:Adolescent; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001827:Body Height / Q000187:drug effects; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / Q000097:blood*; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use
D015415:Biomarkers; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I