Providing the most current information
on the function of human growth hormone (GH) and the consequences of its
deficiency, this practical yet comprehensive text is divided into three
sections. Part one describes the mechanisms of GH secretion and action,
including the physiology of GH and its regulation by sex steroids and thyroid
hormones, the effects of both under nutrition and obesity on GH secretion, and
the metabolic effects of human recombinant GH therapy. The second section
covers diagnostic strategies and tests for GH deficiency in both children and
adults, including MRI of the pituitary. The final section describes the
different etiologies of GH deficiency, from molecular mechanisms and gene
abnormalities to cranial radiation and traumatic brain injury, along with
syndromes related to this deficiency. Presenting underlying mechanisms and
pathologies, as well as diagnostic methods, Growth
Hormone Deficiency will provide the most
up-to-date essential information and evidence on this condition for the
clinical endocrinologist.