GROWTH HORMONE DEFICIENCY IN ADULTS: ETIOLOGY, EFFECTS ON BONE STRUCTURE AND METABOLISM

Аннотация

Adult-onset growth hormone deficiency (GHD) remains one of the issues in clinical endocrinology. In this article, which is addressed to practitioners, physiology of growth hormone in adults is reviewed along with etiology and diagnostic criteria of this medical condition. In general, a stimulation test is required to recognize GHD. Insulin tolerance test (ITT) has been considered the gold standard by the most important scientific societies, although alternative tests, in particular GHRH plus arginine have been proposed as valuable alternative to ITT. This hormone plays a key role in regulating growth, bone formation, and overall metabolism. However, although growth hormone deficiency is often associated with childhood development, it can also occur in adults. This is a serious medical problem. Current GHD classification distinguishes patients with childhood – onset growth hormone deficiency (CO – AGHD) and adult – onset growth hormone deficiency (AO – AGHD), with an incidence of 2 in 100,000 or 1 in 10,000 per year, respectively.