IGF-I measurements in the diagnosis of adult growth hormone deficiency

Abstract

Although serum insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) concentrations have utility as a screening test for growth hormone (GH) deficiency in children and young adults, they are less accurate for screening in adults over 40 years of age. There are two main limitations in the clinical use of IGF-I levels as a marker of GH secretion. First, IGF-I synthesis is not only regulated by GH but also by nutrient supply and by other hormones; second, low IGF-I levels in the presence of normal or increased GH secretion may reflect a peripheral resistance to GH action. Although serum IGF-I cannot be used as a stand-alone test for the diagnosis of adult GH deficiency, very low IGF-I levels in the context of documented hypothalamic or pituitary disease may be helpful in identifying patients with a high probability of GH deficiency. In the presence of two or more additional pituitary hormone deficiencies, an IGF-I level <84 microg/l (assayed by Esoterix Endocrinology, Inc. Calabasas Hills, CA, USA) indicates a 99% probability of GH deficiency. As this cut-off value has not been validated for other IGF-I assays, an IGF-I standard deviation score (SDS) of <-3 may be considered in adults over age 28; an even lower IGF-I SDS is needed for diagnosis in younger adults. In clinical practice, other causes of low serum IGF-I such as malnutrition, diabetes, hypothyroidism, liver disease, etc., should be excluded before applying these diagnostic criteria.