Acid-base Homeostasis in Children With Growth Hormone Deficiency

T o determine whether children with Conclusion: The lower plasma bicarbonate con- T growth hormone deficiency (GHD) centrations in patients with GHD as compared to have lower mean serum bicarbonate with idopathatic short stature patients demonconcentrations than do children with strate a possible role for growth hormone in the short stature due to other causes. modulation of acid-base homeostasis. Materials and Methods: We evaluated one hundred short stature children, aged 5 to 15 years, attending the children s endocrine clinic at Motahari clinic, Shiraz, Iran, over a 6 month period. Demographic data and clinical features were recorded, laboratory investigations were performed, and bone ages were calculated. GHD was defined as serum GH concentration :510 ng/ml in response to L-dopa and clonidine, in addition a thorough work-up was performed to exclude any other known clinical conditions that might lead to growth retardation. Results: Thirty one patients (31%) had GHD, 69 (69%) were not GH deficient, and one case had panhypopituitarism. Serum bicarbonate concentrations were significantly lower in GHD compared with non-GHD patients (15.68±2.79 versus 17.98±3.79 mEqfl, P=0.003). On the other hand, 52 (75%) GHD subjects and 22 (71%) non-GHD had arterial blood pH values below 7.35, the difference not being statistically significant. All GHD patients had abnormal serum bicarbonate levels versus 87% of non-GHD cases (P 0.05). GHD and non-GHD groups were comparable regarding mean age, sex, height SDS, BMI, severity of bone age delay, fasting blood sugar, serum cortisol level, and thyroid function test results