Growth Hormone
(GH)

Sample type

Serum (Red-top tube or gel-barrier tube)

Uses

GH tests are used to diagnose GH disorders, including:

• GH deficiency. In children, GH is essential for normal growth and development. A GH deficiency can cause a child to grow more slowly and be much shorter than children of the same age. In adults, GH deficiency can lead to low bone density and reduced muscle mass.

• Gigantism. This is a rare childhood disorder that causes the body to produce too much GH. Children with gigantism are very tall for their age and have large hands and feet.

• Acromegaly. This disorder, which affects adults, causes the body to produce too much growth hormone. Adults with acromegaly have thicker than normal bones and enlarged hands, feet, and facial features.

Precautions

• Your healthcare provider may ask you to stop taking oral estrogens for a time before this test. You also may be told to not eat or drink anything but water for a certain amount of time before the test.

• Be sure your healthcare provider knows about all medicines, herbs, vitamins, and supplements you are taking. This includes medicines that don’t need a prescription and any illegal drugs you may use.

Interfering factors

Certain foods and beverages, especially those high in protein, can affect your results. Certain medicines, including oral contraceptives containing estrogen, can also affect your results. Great physical or emotional stress and sleeping can affect your results.

Pre-analytical errors

Specimen not centrifuged within 2 hours

The corrective action

The sample must be rejected and another sample be obtained.

Post-analytical errors

1. reports were sent to the incorrect patient

2. write the wrong name in the report or the wrong results.

The corrective action

1. communication with patient, apologising for the error, and providing him with the correct report

2. If the report is not delivered to the patient and this error is discovered, the correct result or the correct name must be written, but if the report is delivered to the patient, you must communicate with him, apologise to him, and tell him that an error has occurred and replace it with the correct report.

Reference Range

0–7 years: 1–13.6 ng/mL

7–11 years: 1–16.4 ng/mL

11–15 years: 1–14.4 ng/mL

15–19 years: 1–13.4 ng/mL

Adult male: 0–4 ng/mL

Adult female: 0–18 ng/mL