Normal Reference Ranges
Adult
< 5.0 (highly pulsatile) ng/mL
Pediatric
< 10.0 ng/mL
Clinical Significance
Pulsatile hormone from pituitary. Suppression (after oral glucose load) or stimulation (after insulin-induced hypoglycemia) tests are needed to confirm diagnosis.
Causes of High
- Acromegaly / Gigantism
- Stress, exercise, hypoglycemia
- Starvation
Causes of Low
- Pituitary dwarfism (children)
- Adult growth hormone deficiency
- Hypopituitarism