Growth hormone deficiency

Injury Disease Nutrition Poison Symptoms Surgery Test Special Topic

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Endocrine glands Height/weight chart

Overview Symptoms Treatment Prevention

Growth hormone deficiency

• Slowed or absent increase in height
• Slow growth before age 5
• Short stature -- below 5th percentile on a standardized growth chart, an adult less than 5 feet tall
• Absent or delayed sexual development in an adolescent
• Headaches
• Excessive thirst with excessive urination
• Increased urine volume

A physical examination including weight, height, and body proportions will show signs of slowed growth rate and deviation from normal growth curves.

Tests include the following:

• A determination of bone age from hand x-ray is often recommended. Bone age can also be determined by DEXA (Dual Energy Xray Absorptiometry).
• Measurement of growth hormone and associated binding protein levels (IGF-I and IGFBP-3) confirms that the disorder is caused by dysfunction of the pituitary gland.
• Other hormone levels should be determined, as lack of growth hormone may not be an isolated problem.
• An x-ray may show skull abnormalities such as small, enlarged, or empty sella or a space-occupying lesion.
• An MRI scan of the head may be ordered to visualize the hypothalamus and pituitary glands.

Email this page  Printer friendly  Bookmark this page