Childhood-Onset Adult Growth Hormone Deficiency: Clinical, Hormonal, and Radiological Assessment in a Single Center in China.

BACKGROUND

Although growth hormone deficiency (GHD) is an important issue in pediatric patients, adult GHD (AGHD) is a neglected field of endocrinology in China. The aim of this study is to characterize the clinical, hormonal, and radiological features in childhood-onset AGHD (CO AGHD) in a single center in China and to compare them with counterparts from Japan.

METHODS

The medical records of 78 Chinese patients with CO AGHD were reviewed and compared with data from the HypoCCS database study from Japan (N = 69).

RESULTS

The majority of our patients had pituitary stalk interruption, while hypothalamo-pituitary tumors were the most common cause of CO AGHD in Japan. Chinese patients had a lag of 6 years for diagnosis. The majority of both groups had multiple pituitary hormone deficiencies. Body mass index and lipid profiles were similar between the 2 patient groups. Dyslipidemia and hyperuricemia were the most common metabolic disturbances in Chinese patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings confirm that there are possible regional differences in the etiology, metabolic characteristics, and hormonal status in CO AGHD patients in different countries in Asia.