Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 17, 2026

Effects of Exposure of Formaldehyde to a Rat Model of Atopic Dermatitis Induced by Neonatal Capsaicin Treatment
06:47

Effects of Exposure of Formaldehyde to a Rat Model of Atopic Dermatitis Induced by Neonatal Capsaicin Treatment

Published on: September 27, 2017

Nocturnal growth hormone release in children with short stature and atopic dermatitis

T J David1, A P Ferguson, R W Newton

  • 1Department of Child Health, University of Manchester, England.

Acta Dermato-Venereologica
|January 1, 1991
PubMed

Insights

Children with atopic dermatitis and short stature may have impaired growth hormone release during sleep. This contrasts with normal sleep-related growth hormone release in healthy children, suggesting a specific sleep-related deficiency in affected children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Dermatology
  • Sleep Medicine

Background:

  • Atopic dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory skin condition.
  • Short stature in children can have various underlying causes.
  • Growth hormone (GH) is crucial for childhood growth and development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the hypothesis that children with atopic dermatitis and short stature exhibit impaired nocturnal growth hormone release.
  • To compare GH secretion during sleep with GH response to arginine stimulation in children with atopic dermatitis and short stature.

Main Methods:

  • Compared peak serum GH levels during sleep with peak GH response to arginine stimulation.
  • Studied 6 children (7-12 years) with atopic dermatitis and short stature (<-3 SD).
  • Included 5 control children (9-12 years) with unexplained short stature.

Main Results:

  • All 5 control children demonstrated normal GH release during sleep.
  • 3 out of 6 children with atopic dermatitis did not achieve normal GH levels during sleep.
  • All children with atopic dermatitis showed normal GH release following arginine stimulation.

Conclusions:

  • Prepubertal children with atopic dermatitis and short stature may experience impaired growth hormone release during stage 4 sleep.
  • The findings suggest a potential sleep-related mechanism affecting GH secretion in this specific pediatric population.
  • Arginine stimulation indicates the pituitary's capacity to release GH, pointing to a sleep-specific issue.

More Related Videos

Generation and Culturing of Primary Human Keratinocytes from Adult Skin10:42

Generation and Culturing of Primary Human Keratinocytes from Adult Skin

Published on: December 22, 2017

Resolving Water, Proteins, and Lipids from In Vivo Confocal Raman Spectra of Stratum Corneum through a Chemometric Approach09:32

Resolving Water, Proteins, and Lipids from In Vivo Confocal Raman Spectra of Stratum Corneum through a Chemometric Approach

Published on: September 26, 2019

Related Concept Videos

Nature and Nurture01:10

Nature and Nurture

Many human characteristics, like height, are shaped by both nature—in other words, by our genes—and by nurture, or our environment. For example, chronic stress during childhood inhibits the production of growth hormones and consequently reduces bone growth and height. Scientists estimate that 70-90% of variation in height is due to genetic differences among individuals, and 10-30% of variation in height is due to differences in the environments that individuals experience, such as differences...
Clinical Applications of Epidermal Stem Cells01:19

Clinical Applications of Epidermal Stem Cells

Epidermal stem cells (EpiSCs) are mainly located at the basal layer of the epidermis. These cells repair minor injuries of the skin and replace dead skin cells. However, EpiSCs’ cannot heal severe wounds such as major burns or those from diabetes or hereditary disorders. In such cases, culturing the epidermal stem cells from the patient is possible and has yielded successful treatment options, such as laboratory-grown skin grafts. These grafts are synthesized using a patient’s own EpiSCs...