Childhood-Onset Adult Growth Hormone Deficiency: Clinical, Hormonal, and Radiological Assessment in a Single Center in China

Background: Although growth hormone deficiency (GHD) is an important issue in pediatric patients, adult GHD (AGHD) is a neglected field of endocrinology in China. The aim of this study is to characterize the clinical, hormonal, and radiological features in childhood-onset AGHD (CO AGHD) in a single center in China and to compare them with counterparts from Japan. Methods: The medical records of 78 Chinese patients with CO AGHD were reviewed and compared with data from the HypoCCS database study from Japan (N = 69). Results: The majority of our patients had pituitary stalk interruption, while hypothalamo-pituitary tumors were the most common cause of CO AGHD in Japan. Chinese patients had a lag of 6 years for diagnosis. The majority of both groups had multiple pituitary hormone deficiencies. Body mass index and lipid profiles were similar between the 2 patient groups. Dyslipidemia and hyperuricemia were the most common metabolic disturbances in Chinese patients. Conclusions: Our findings confirm that there are possible regional differences in the etiology, metabolic characteristics, and hormonal status in CO AGHD patients in different countries in Asia.