Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) is a disease that occurs when the pituitary gland cannot produce enough growth hormone (GH). GH is a protein responsible for the normal growth of body tissues and bones. Because GHD patients lack sufficient growth hormone, they will not grow at the expected rate, resulting in an abnormally short stature.

Growth hormone deficiency in children is more pronounced than in adults. However, a person may get GHD later in life due to infection, trauma, brain surgery, head injury, brain tumor growth, or radiation therapy. This type of growth hormone deficiency is called acquired growth hormone deficiency (AGHD). Sometimes, GHD has no known cause, which means it is idiopathic.

Due to delayed bone lengthening, childhood-onset GHD leads to delayed maturation, short stature, and growth retardation. The onset of GHD in children can be congenital, acquired or idiopathic. In contrast, adult-onset GHD is usually obtained from traumatic brain injury or pituitary tumors, and it can also be idiopathic. Although GHD may be a genetic disease, it can also be caused by other factors.

Genetic causes of GHD

Due to genetic mutations, children may be born with GHD (congenital). Congenital GHD is characterized by genetic errors, which may be related to structural defects in the brain or midline facial defects (such as cleft palate). The main types of GHD include:

GHD IA type

GHD IA type is the most severe type of GHD. The reason for this situation is the lack of growth hormone in the body. Growth disorders occur in infancy, that is, babies with GHD IA are born shorter than normal.

GHD IB type

GHD IB patients have lower levels of growth hormone. This leads to the short stature characteristics of type IB people. People with this growth hormone deficiency experience growth disorders between early and mid-childhood.

GHD Type II

Individuals with GHD Type II have low levels of growth hormone, and short stature varies in severity. Their growth obstacles are also obvious from early childhood to early childhood. Nearly 50% of type II patients with hypophyseal hypoplasia.

GHD III type

Growth hormone deficiency type III has the same characteristics as type II. People with this type of GHD have very low levels of growth hormone, short stature, and growth disorders are obvious from early childhood to middle childhood. They also have weaker immune systems and are more susceptible to infections.