Diagnostic growth hormone deficiency testing practices among patients in the NCGS/NCSS databases

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Pediatric Endocrinology
• Growth Hormone Research

Background:

• Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) affects both pediatric and adult populations, necessitating distinct diagnostic approaches.
• Understanding the etiology of GHD is crucial for appropriate patient management and treatment strategies.
• Large-scale data analysis provides insights into the prevalence and causes of GHD across different age groups.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the etiologies of GHD in pediatric patients (National Cooperative Growth Study - NCGS) and adult patients (National Cooperative Somatropin Surveillance - NCSS).
• To identify and evaluate the various growth hormone (GH)-stimulation tests used in diagnosing GHD.
• To assess the diagnostic utility of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I measurements in GHD assessment.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of patient data from the NCGS and NCSS databases.
• Review and categorization of GH-stimulation tests employed by investigators.
• Evaluation of IGF-I assay performance and contribution to GHD diagnosis.

Main Results:

• Etiologies of GHD were defined and compared between pediatric and adult cohorts.
• A range of GH-stimulation tests were identified, with varying methodologies across studies.
• The role of IGF-I measurements in enhancing diagnostic accuracy for GHD was assessed.

Conclusions:

• The study provides a comprehensive overview of GHD etiology and diagnostic practices in both pediatric and adult populations.
• Accurate diagnosis and classification of organic GHD are emphasized for effective patient care.
• Comparative analysis of diagnostic tools aids in refining GHD assessment protocols.