SERUM SOMATOMEDIN A IN GROWTH RETARDED CHILDREN

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Abstract
The levels of serum somatomedin A were determined in 59 growth retarded Japanese children by a radioreceptor assay. Low levels were found in 10 children with growth hormone (GH) deficiency and 7 children with relative GH deficiency with means of 0.26 ± 0.03 and 0.48 ± 0.04 U/ml, respectively. Serum somatomedin A levels in 42 growth retarded children with normal growth hormone levels were within the range of normal adults, and did not correlate with degree of short stature. Significant increases of somatomedin A after hGH administration were found in children with growth hormone deficiency but not in children with normal growth hormone. These results show that determination of somatomedin A in serum correlates well with the state of growth hormone secretion, and is of great importance in the selection of patients for treatment with human growth hormone.