Abstract
Different results have been reported regarding the usefulness of IGFBP-3 determinations to diagnose growth hormone (GH) deficiency.
We studied the GH-IGF-I-IGFBP-3 axis in 53 children with growth retardation (height < 3rd. percentile). We measured GH by RIA during two stimulation tests, IGF-I by RIA on unextracted plasma, IGFBP-3 by IRMA (DSL) Arbitrarily we selected two aroups of patients according to the maximal GH response: Group I with GH < 5 ng/ml (n=35), Group II with GH > 10 ng/ml (n=18). We carefully excluded patients with: hypothyroidism at the time of study, renal failure, malnutrition., celiac disease and Turner's Syndrome. Results: our IGF-I normal control values nave been reported (J. Pediatr. Endocrinol. 6:179,1993). The IGFBP-3 plasma concentrations in our normal population are shown in the Table.
Conclusions= 1) IGF-I detects GH deficiency more frequently than IGFBP-3 (25/35 vs 21/35). IGFBP-3's contribution to detection made by IGF-I is 1/35 (2.9%) IGF-I's contribution to detection made by 2) A low IGFBP-3 value appears to exclude the diagnosis of constitutional growth retardation (Group II) and tends to confirm the diagnosis of GH deficiency. 3) A normal IGFBP-3 value does not allow discrimination between groups I and II (40% and 100% of normal values respectively).
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Pennisi, P., Ropelato, G. & Jásper, H. THE GROWTH HORMONE-IGF-I-IGFBP-3 AXIS IN CHILDREN WITH GROWTH RETARDATION. Pediatr Res 38, 623 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199510000-00040
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199510000-00040
