Diagnosis of Growth Hormone Deficiency in Children: Comparative Performance of Arginine Versus Glucagon as the First Stimulation Test
Authors' conclusion
This study demonstrated that GST is associated with a lower rate of discordant results compared to AST and potentially reduces the need for a second test, minimising patient inconvenience, lowering healthcare expenses, and decreasing time-consuming hospital visits for families.
Study context
- Population
- Children aged 1 to 17 years with suspected growth hormone deficiency (GHD) tested 2017–2022; excluded genetic syndromes, obesity, tests >6 months apart881 included
- Participants
- 712 vs 171
- Exposure
- Glucagon stimulation test (GST)-first vs arginine stimulation test (AST)-first
- GST-firstn = 712
- AST-firstn = 171reference
- Outcome
- Error rate (discordant results) of the first test vs final diagnosis after the second test, peak GH cut-off 7.5 ng/mL
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Discordant results
P = 0.048
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Predictors of discordant results (stepwise logistic regression)
- None of gender, age, BMI, sex hormone priming or socioeconomic status had a statistically significant effect on discordant results
Original publication
Diagnosis of Growth Hormone Deficiency in Children: Comparative Performance of Arginine Versus Glucagon as the First Stimulation Test. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). Published 21 April 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →