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Growth Hormone Deficiency

Gemma Kim, MD and Jose Candelario, MD., PhD Reviewed 04/2024
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

  • Insufficient production of growth hormone (GH) in adults or children are caused by problems arising in the pituitary gland and/or hypothalamus

  • GH is produced by somatotroph cells of t...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

  • Children:

    • Poor height velocity, slower muscular development, and delayed gross motor milestones, such as standing, walking, and jumping

    • Clinical questions

      • Birth weight and length

      • Previous...

TREATMENT

MEDICATION

  • Childhood-onset GHD is treated with GH replacement, treatment should be started at the youngest possible age to achieve the greatest growth response. GH replacement is not recommen...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

  • Children: monitor growth and adjust dose every 3 to 6 months.

  • Childhood onset GHD: The need for continuation of GH replacement should be evaluated following comple...

REFERENCES

1
Stanley T. Diagnosis of growth hormone deficiency in childhood. Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes. 2012;19(1):47–52.
2
Fukuda  I, Hizuka  N, Muraoka  T, et al. Adult...

ADDITIONAL READING

SEE ALSO

Pituitary Adenoma 

CODES

ICD10

E23.0 Hypopituitarism 

SNOMED

  • 397827003 Growth hormone deficiency (disorder)

  • 32390006 Panhypopituitarism (disorder)

  • 367460001 Pituitary dwarfism

CLINICAL PEARLS

  • Most common cause of GHD in children is idiopathic.

  • Most common cause of GHD in adults is a pituitary adenoma and/or treatment of the adenoma.

  • Most common presentation of childhood GHD i...

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