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Review

Adult Growth Hormone Deficiency- Clinical Management

In: Endotext [Internet]. South Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc.; 2000.
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Review

Adult Growth Hormone Deficiency- Clinical Management

Ulla Feldt-Rasmussen et al.
Free Books & Documents

Excerpt

The clinical syndrome of GH deficiency (GHD) is characterized by non-specific features including variable presence of decreased mood and general well-being, reduced bone remodeling activity, change in body fat distribution with increased central adiposity, hyperlipidemia, and increased predisposition to atherogenesis. The goal of GH replacement therapy in adults with GH deficiency is to correct the wide spectrum of associated clinical alterations. The estimated prevalence of GHD is approximately 2-3:10,000 population. GHD is caused by structural pituitary disease or cranial irradiation, and usually occurs in the context of additional features of hypopituitarism. Pituitary adenomas are the most important cause of adult-onset GHD followed by craniopharyngiomas, which combined account for 57% of cases. Less common causes are irradiation, head injury, vascular, infiltrative, infectious. and autoimmune disease. Diagnosing patients with GHD should first of all consider who should be tested for GHD, which includes patients at relevant risk with an intention to treat, and second which stimulation test to be used including the proper diagnostic cut-off concentration of GH. The diagnosis of GHD in adults is then usually straightforward. Dosage of h-GH replacement is dependent on age, and gender with adolescents and women usually requiring an increased dosage. The dose titration is monitored by IGF-I concentrations and apart from that a number of organ end points, which may act as ‘biomarkers’ of the treatment effects. This chapter provides an update on GHD including diagnostic pitfalls, and treatment effect, safety, and monitoring. For complete coverage of all related areas of Endocrinology, please visit our on-line FREE web-text, WWW.ENDOTEXT.ORG.

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