Reassessment of GH Status and GH Therapy in Adults with Childhood-onset GHD: Transitional Care from Adolescence to Adulthood / 대한소아내분비학회지

ABSTRACT

Adult growth hormone deficiency (GHD) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality and reduced quality of life. GH status should be reevaluated in the transitional age for continued treatment to complete somatic development. All children diagnosed with GHD should be retested by insulin provocative tests upon completion of skeletal growth. A low insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I is a reliable diagnostic indicator of GHD in the presence of hypopituitarism, however, a normal IGF-I does not rule out GHD. When the diagnosis of adult GHD is established, continuation of GH therapy is strongly recommended. Continued GH treatment from adolescence into early adulthood may contribute to the attainment of a normal bone and muscle mass and contribute to a decrease of the cardiovascular risk of GHD adults. There is ongoing debate about nearly every aspect of GH therapy.