Growth hormone disorders

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GH Physiology - The Growth Blueprint

  • Secretion: Pulsatile, with largest peak during deep sleep (Stage N3).
  • Actions (Dual Role):
    • Direct: Anti-insulin effects (↑ lipolysis, ↑ blood glucose).
    • Indirect: Via IGF-1 from liver; mediates linear growth (epiphyseal plates) and protein synthesis.

⭐ Screening for GH disorders relies on IGF-1 levels, not random GH, due to GH's pulsatile release versus IGF-1's stable, longer half-life.

Growth Hormone-IGF-1 Axis: Wildtype vs. IGF-1R KO

GH Deficiency - The Short Story

  • Etiology

    • Congenital: Idiopathic (most common), genetic (e.g., GH1, GHRHR mutations), midline defects (septo-optic dysplasia).
    • Acquired: Craniopharyngioma (most common tumor), CNS radiation, trauma, infection.
  • Clinical Features

    • Neonate: Hypoglycemia, micropenis, prolonged jaundice.
    • Child: Short stature (height < -2 SD), ↓ growth velocity, delayed bone age, cherubic facies, truncal obesity, high-pitched voice.
  • Diagnosis & Treatment

    • Screening: ↓ IGF-1 & IGFBP-3.
    • Confirmation: GH stimulation tests (Insulin, Clonidine). Peak GH < 10 ng/mL is diagnostic.
    • Imaging: Pituitary MRI to identify structural causes.
    • Treatment: Recombinant Human GH (rhGH).

Child with GHD: cherubic facies, truncal obesity, MRI, X-ray

Laron Syndrome: A GH receptor defect causing GH insensitivity. Presents with features of GHD but has ↑ GH and ↓ IGF-1 levels.

GH Excess - Towering Troubles

  • Etiology: Most commonly a pituitary adenoma.
  • Clinical Manifestations:
    • Gigantism: Before epiphyseal fusion. Symmetrical overgrowth, ↑ height.
    • Acromegaly: After epiphyseal fusion. Coarse facial features, frontal bossing, prognathism, macroglossia, spade-like hands/feet.
    • Systemic: Cardiomegaly, hypertension, insulin resistance (diabetes).

Gigantism: Excess GH from macroadenoma causes rapid growth

  • Diagnosis:

Most specific test: Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT). Failure to suppress GH levels below 1 ng/mL after a 75g glucose load is diagnostic.

  • Management:
    • 1st Line: Trans-sphenoidal surgery.
    • Medical: Somatostatin analogs (Octreotide), GH receptor antagonists (Pegvisomant).

Laron Syndrome - Unresponsive Receptors

  • Pathophysiology: Autosomal recessive mutation in the Growth Hormone Receptor (GHR) gene, causing end-organ insensitivity to GH.
  • Biochemical Profile: ↑ GH, but ↓↓ IGF-1 & IGFBP-3. This paradoxical finding is key.
  • Clinical Features: Severe short stature, prominent forehead, depressed nasal bridge, small hands/feet, and hypoglycemia.
  • Treatment: Ineffective GH therapy. Requires Recombinant IGF-1 (Mecasermin).

Exam Pearl: Despite obesity, patients with Laron syndrome have a significantly lower incidence of cancer and diabetes mellitus.

Normal vs. Laron syndrome GH signaling and growth

High‑Yield Points - ⚡ Biggest Takeaways

  • GH deficiency is a key cause of pathological short stature, often with neonatal micropenis and hypoglycemia.
  • Screening involves IGF-1/IGFBP-3 levels; confirmation needs GH stimulation tests (e.g., insulin-induced hypoglycemia).
  • Laron syndrome (GH insensitivity) is a receptor defect presenting with high GH but low IGF-1.
  • GH excess causes gigantism before epiphyseal fusion and acromegaly after.
  • The most common cause of GH excess is a pituitary adenoma.

Practice Questions: Growth hormone disorders

Test your understanding with these related questions

A 5-year-old boy is brought to the physician for excessive weight gain. The mother reports that her son has been “chubby” since he was a toddler and that he has gained 10 kg (22 lbs) over the last year. During this period, he fractured his left arm twice from falling on the playground. He had cryptorchidism requiring orchiopexy at age 2. He is able to follow 1-step instructions and uses 2-word sentences. He is at the 5th percentile for height and 95th percentile for weight. Vital signs are within normal limits. Physical examination shows central obesity. There is mild esotropia and coarse, dry skin. In addition to calorie restriction, which of the following is the most appropriate next step in management of this patient?

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Flashcards: Growth hormone disorders

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Prader-Willi syndrome is characterized by _____ levels of ghrelin

TAP TO REVEAL ANSWER

Prader-Willi syndrome is characterized by _____ levels of ghrelin

increased

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