Monitoring serum insulin‐like growth factor‐I (IGF‐I), IGF binding protein‐3 (IGFBP‐3), IGF‐I/IGFBP‐3 molar ratio and leptin during growth hormone treatment for disordered growth

Abstract

The pattern of IGF-I, IGFBP-3 and their molar ratio during the first year of GH treatment differed between the GHD and non-GHD groups. Calculation of GH dose by surface area may be preferable to calculating by body weight. As a GH dose-dependent increase in serum IGF-I and IGF-I/IGFBP-3 may be associated with adverse effects, serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 should be monitored routinely during long-term GH treatment. Serum leptin was the only variable that correlated with first year growth response in GHD.