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Updated: Jun 5, 2026

Comparative Analysis of Human Growth Hormone in Serum Using SPRi, Nano-SPRi and ELISA Assays
Published on: January 7, 2016
Growth hormone, insulin like growth factor-1, and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-3 levels in the neonatal
Selim Kurtoğlu1, Meda Kondolot, Mümtaz M Mazicioğlu
1Department of Pediatrics, Erciyes University School of Medicine, Turkey.
Insights
Neonatal growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and IGF-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) levels change weekly. GH levels decrease, while IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels increase during the first four postnatal weeks.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal endocrinology
- Pediatric growth disorders
- Biochemical markers in newborns
Background:
- Growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and IGF-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) are crucial for neonatal health assessments.
- Current practice often evaluates these markers as single values during the neonatal period.
- Understanding weekly changes is vital for accurate diagnosis of conditions like GH deficiency, intrauterine growth restriction, and hypoglycemia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the weekly changes in GH, IGF-1, and IGFBP-3 levels throughout the neonatal period.
- To establish normative weekly reference ranges for these key growth factors.
- To inform more precise clinical interpretation of these biomarkers in neonates.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study included 102 appropriate-for-gestational age (AGA) term neonates without interfering medical conditions.
- Serum GH, IGF-1, and IGFBP-3 levels were measured using immunoradiometric analysis (IRMA).
- Weekly blood samples were collected and analyzed for the first four postnatal weeks.
Main Results:
- Growth hormone (GH) levels showed a decreasing trend from week 1 to week 4 [median (1st-3rd quartile): 25.1 (18.5-37.4) to 14.4 (6.60-19.8) ng/mL].
- Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels demonstrated an increasing trend [median (1st-3rd quartile): 41.7 (18.0-70.0) to 71.7 (44.3-137) ng/mL].
- IGF-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) levels also increased significantly [median (1st-3rd quartile): 1852 (1597-2451) to 3018 (2151-4189) ng/mL].
Conclusions:
- GH, IGF-1, and IGFBP-3 levels exhibit distinct weekly patterns in the neonatal period.
- These biomarkers can be evaluated on a weekly basis for more accurate clinical assessment.
- Establishing week-specific reference ranges can improve diagnostic precision for neonatal endocrine and growth disorders.
Background:
Growth hormone (GH), insulinlike growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and IGF-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) are used in the neonatal period for evaluation of diseases such as GH deficiency, intrauterine growth restriction, and hypoglycemia. However, GH level has been reported as a single value during the neonatal period. In this study, we attempted to determine the changes of GH, IGF-1, and IGFBP-3 in the neonatal period for each week.
Methods:
One hundred and two appropriate-for-gestational age (AGA) term neonates who did not have any diseases that would interfere with GH-IGF axis were included in this cross-sectional study. Blood samples were collected and serum GH, IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels were measured by immunoradiometric analysis (IRMA) and weekly values were obtained for the first postnatal four weeks.
Results:
We showed that GH level [median (1st-3rd quartile)] decreases from the first to the fourth postnatal week [25.1 (18.5-37.4); 17.2 (13.2-22.8); 17.6 (12.2-20.2); 14.4 (6.60-19.8) ng/mL, respectively)], IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels [median (lst-3rd quartile)] increase [41.7 (18.0-70.0); 55.9 (39.0-103); 53.0 (40.0-97.7); 71.7 (44.3-137) and 1852 (1597-2451); 2430 (1645-2838); 2841 (2280-3675); 3018 (2151-4189) ng/mL, respectively)].
Conclusions:
GH, IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 values can be evaluated for each week separately instead of for the entire neonatal period.
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