The aim of the study: was to evaluate age and height at the diagnosis of childhood growth hormone deficiency in the group of children who were qualified to growth hormone (GH) treatment in pediatric endocrinology department at Medical University of Gdańsk in period 1994-2004.
Material and methods: The analysis comprised 170 GH-deficient children (111 boys) in whom GH treatment was indicated in our department in the period 1995-2004 yr.
Results: At diagnosis the mean age was 11,1+/-3,2 yr., mean height -3,6+/-1,0 SDS. Mean age in males was significantly higher, than in females, but there was no statistically significant difference between them. 25% of patients were pubertal. 44% of children lived in rural area, 56% in urban area and the age of diagnosis was similar in both groups. Children from rural area were, however, significantly shorter than those from urban area. 25.3% of patients started with GH treatment in the period 1995-2000 yr. and 74.7% after year 2000. Children who started with GH treatment before year 2000 were younger (9,6+/-3,6 yr.) than those after year 2000 (11.6+/-2.9 yr.). They were also significantly shorter (-4.2+/-1.1 SDS) than patients diagnosed after year 2000 (-3.4+/-0.9 SDS). Height in 67% of patients diagnosed before year 2000 and 36% diagnosed after year 2000 was below -3.5 SDS.
Conclusions: Children with GH deficiency were referred to our department relatively late and the age of the diagnosis did not decrease during the period 1995-2004. The deep height deficiency observed in children at the diagnosis of GH deficiency decreased after year 2000 but it is still a problem in patients from rural area. General practitioners should earlier identify children with height deficiency and refer them to pediatric endocrinologists.