DIAGNOSTIC VALUE OF SERUM INSULIN—LIKE GROWTH FACTOR BINDING PROTEIN—3 IN CHILDREN WITH OR WITHOUT GROWTH HORMONE DEFICIENCY

Objective:To study the value of serum insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) levels in differential diagnosis of growth hormone deficiency(GHD).Methods:To measure serum IGFBP-3 levels by RIA in normal children and adolescents,GHD children and short-stature children without (GHD).Methods:To measure serum IGFBP-3 levels by RIA in normal children and adolescents,GHD children and short-stature children without GHD.Results.Serum level of IGFBP-3 in 129 children with untreated GHD and with no pubertal development was 1.6±0.9mg/L,which was less than that in normal group of the same age,but overlapped with the normal children in Tanner stage I.After six-month treatment with recombinant human growth hormone(rhGH),serum level of IGFBP-3 in 59 GHD significantly increased from 1.3±0.7mg/L to 2.7±0.9mg/L,accompanied by an increase of body heights,growth velocities and serum level of IGF-1.Serum level of IGFBP-3 in 55 shortstature children without GHD was 3.3±2.2mg/L,which was not significantly different from that in normal group.Conclusion:Serum IGFBP-3 level can reflect the status of GH secretion in children with GHD and is a useful marker for differential diagnosis of GHD.