A pituitary hormone which stimulates growth in children and adolescents. In so doing, it affects most metabolic processes (it has diabetogenic and anabolic activity). Its rate of secretion varies depending on nutritional status (e.g. fasting), pain and physical exercise. Test useful in the investigation of retarded growth (congenital primary GH deficiency) and acromegaly (due to hypersecretion of GH and characterized by sustained high levels throughout a glucose tolerance test). GH secretion shows a marked variation in sleep/wake pattern with a high secretion taking place during sleep.
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