The present study aims to evaluate levels of calcium regulating hormones and some biochemical parameters in a sample of growth hormone (GH) deficient patients. Seventy five GH deficient patients and twenty healthy subjects used as a control group have been involved in this study during their attendance at the National Diabetic Centerfor Treatment and Research /Al-Mustansiriya University. The studied subjects were in an age range of 3-15 years. Blood samples were collected from the studied subjects to determine levels of basal GH,GH2. and GH3 after 60 mins. and 90mins. of provocation with clonidine. The study also included the measurement of the levels of insulin like growth factor (IGF-1); calcium regulating hormones [parathyroid hormone (PTH) and vitamin D],and some biochemical parameters [calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), urea, and creatinine].
Distribution of the studied groups according to gender revealed that most of the GH deficientpatients (60 %) were males while 40 % were females,with the difference being statistically significant (P<0.05), while the control included two equal subgroups (50 % males and 50 % females). Distribution of the studied groups Distribution of the studied groups Distribution of the studied groups Distribution of the studied groups Distribution of the studied groups Distribution of the studied groups Distribution of the studied groups Distribution of the studied groups Distribution of the studied groups Distribution of the studied groups Distribution of the studied groups Distribution of the studied groups Distribution of the studied groups Distribution of the studied groups Distribution of the studied groups Distribution of the studied groups Distribution of the studied groups Distribution of the studied groups Distribution of the studied groups Distribution of the studied groups Distribution of the studied groups Distribution of the studied groups Distribution of the studied groups Distribution of the studied groups Distribution of the studied groups Distribution of the studied groups according to BMI values showed according to BMI values showed according to BMI values showed according to BMI values showed according to BMI values showed according to BMI values showed according to BMI values showed according to BMI values showed according to BMI values showed according to BMI values showed according to BMI values showed according to BMI values showed according to BMI values showed according to BMI values showed according to BMI values showed according to BMI values showed according to BMI values showed according to BMI values showed according to BMI values showed according to BMI values showed according to BMI values showed according to BMI values showed according to BMI values showed according to BMI values showed that the percentage of underweight was significantly (P<0.01) higher in the patients (48%) compared to the control (10%), while the percentage of normal weight was significantly (P<0.01) higher in the control (85%) as compared to the patients (40%).
The results showed highly significant decreases (P<0.01) in the levels of basal GH, GH2 and GH3 in the patients as compared to the control group. Also, IGF-1 levels showed a high significant (P<0.01) decrease in the patients as compared to the control group.The findings of calcium regulating hormones revealed non-significant differences in the levels of PTH and vitamin D between the patients and the control group. Also, the results of the biochemical parameters (Ca, P, urea, and creatinine) showed non-significant differences in their values between the patients and the control group.
It can be concluded from the present study that GH deficiency (GHD) seems to be dominating in the males under weighted patients. The diagnosis of GHD cannot be achieved at the basal GH level.IGF-1 is a reliable marker of GH functions. Finally, levels of calcium regulating hormones are not affected by GHD.