Controversy about Treatment of Growth Hormone–Deficient Adults: A Commentary
Authors: Lawrence A. Frohman
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2002)

Editorials6 August 2002Controversy about Treatment of Growth Hormone–Deficient Adults: A CommentaryLawrence A. Frohman, MDLawrence A. Frohman, MDUniversity of Illinois at Chicago; Chicago, IL 60612Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-137-3-200208060-00013 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Growth hormone deficiency was first described in children with growth retardation, and for three decades, the therapeutic use of growth hormone was restricted to promoting linear growth. Two developments—the appearance of Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease and the availability of recombinant human growth hormone—ended the use of human pituitary-derived growth hormone therapy and opened the possibility of using growth hormone in growth hormone–deficient adults. For the past 13 years, such use has been a reality. As with many other areas of medicine, the introduction of a new therapy is associated with initial excitement, followed by a period of careful analysis of the results ...References1. Bengtsson BA, Johannsson G, Shalet SM, Simpson H, Sonken PH. Treatment of growth hormone deficiency in adults. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2000;85:933-42. [PMID: 10720018] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. Carroll PV, Christ ER, Sonksen PH. Growth hormone replacement in adults with growth hormone deficiency: assessment of current knowledge. Trends Endocrinol Metab. 2000;11:231-8. [PMID: 10878754] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Barkan AL, Clemmons DR, Molitch ME, Stewart PM, Young WF. Growth hormone therapy for hypopituitary adults: time for re-appraisal. Trends Endocrinol Metab. 2000;11:238-45. [PMID: 10878755] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Cook DM. Shouldn't adults with growth hormone deficiency be offered growth hormone replacement therapy? Ann Intern Med. 2002;137:197-201. LinkGoogle Scholar5. Isley WL. 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[PMID: 1973979] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar14. Tomlinson JW, Holden N, Hills RK, Wheatley K, Clayton RN, Bates AS, et al . Association between premature mortality and hypopituitarism. West Midlands Prospective Hypopituitary Study Group. Lancet. 2001;357:425-31. [PMID: 11273062] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: University of Illinois at Chicago; Chicago, IL 60612Corresponding Author: Lawrence A. Frohman, MD, University of Illinois at Chicago, Section of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine (MC-640), 1819 West Polk Street, Chicago, IL 60612-7343; e-mail, [email protected]edu. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoGrowth Hormone Therapy for Adults: Not Ready for Prime Time? William L. Isley Shouldn't Adults with Growth Hormone Deficiency Be Offered Growth Hormone Replacement Therapy? David M. Cook Metrics Cited byDilated cardiomyopathy and rhabdomyolysis caused by hypopituitarism: a challenging diagnosisSurvivorship Issues in Adolescent and Young Adult OncologyHormonal dysfunction is frequent in cancer survivors treated with radiotherapy to the head and neck regionHormone Replacement TherapyGuía clínica del manejo de la deficiencia de hormona de crecimiento en el adultoThe role of growth hormone replacement in a growth hormone deficient patient with underlying cardiomyopathy and severe congestive heart failureOne year of GH replacement therapy with a fixed low-dose regimen improves body composition, bone mineral density and lipid profile of GH-deficient adultsGrowth Hormone Therapy and Quality of Life in Adults and ChildrenControversies Regarding the Effects of Growth Hormone on the HeartGrowth Hormone Therapy in Adults 6 August 2002Volume 137, Issue 3Page: 202-204KeywordsCardiovascular therapyGrowth hormoneHormonal therapyHormone replacement therapyInsulin-like growth factorsLife expectancyOsteopeniaProlactinQuality of lifeSpecificity ePublished: 6 August 2002 Issue Published: 6 August 2002 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2002 by American College of Physicians. 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