Growth hormone deficiency epidemiology and demographics

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Mohammed Abdelwahed M.D[2]

Prevalence and incidence data of growth hormone deficiency vary widely due to the lack of standard diagnostic criteria. Diagnosis of growth hormone deficiency is made during 2 broad age peaks; the first age peak occurs at 5 years. The second age peak occurs in girls aged 10-13 years and boys aged 12-16 years. There is no apparent racial difference in the incidence of GHD. In societies that concern more about male short stature than the females, 73% of males were found to have idiopathic GHD. When GHD is caused from organic causes such as tumors and radiation, in which no gender bias should be present, there was still 62% male.

• Prevalence and incidence data vary widely due to the lack of standard diagnostic criteria.^[1]
• The incidence of persistent GHD is 12.0%.^[2]
• There is no significant difference in the incidence of pituitary hypoplasia between the patients with persistent and transient GHD.

• Seventy-three percent of patients with idiopathic GHD occur in societies that care a lot about short stature of males more than females.^[3]
• Prevalence of GHD from organic causes such as tumors and radiation is 62% male.
• A survey of pediatric endocrinologists show that growth hormone treatment was 1.3 times more common in boys than in girls.^[4]

• Growth hormone deficiency has a bimodal distribution; the first age peak occurs at 5 years.
• The second age peak occurs in girls aged 10-13 years and boys aged 12-16 years.
• Congenital GHD and most cases of idiopathic GHD are thought to be present from birth, diagnosis is often delayed until the patient’s short stature is noticed in relation to their peers.

• There is no racial predilection of growth hormone deficiency.

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