Adult Growth Hormone Deficiency

Diagnosing GHD in adults is challenging because no reliable biomarkers exist and manifestations are non-specific and variable. Adult growth hormone deficiency has an estimated incidence of 1.76 per 100,000 person-years. Approximately 40–65% of individuals with childhood-onset idiopathic GHD spontaneously restore physiological GH secretion before or during adulthood. Adult GHD is independently associated with increased all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, depression, and unemployment after adjustment for a comprehensive set of confounders. The most common causes of adult GHD are suprasellar, hypothalamic, and pituitary tumours and their treatments including cranial surgery and irradiation.