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Alternative names, keywords |
GH, hGH |
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Samples required |
Clo Avoid haemolysis. |
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Test indications |
If there is a clinical suspicion of acromegaly, please send a morning blood sample for GH and IGF-1. If GH <0.4 ug/L and IGF-1 is within the age- and gender-matched normal range in a patient without intercurrent illness then acromegaly is most unlikely. If both these criteria are not satisfied, then suggest endocrine referral. If there is a clinical suspicion of GH deficiency, then dynamic function testing is required - please refer to endocrinology/paediatrics without further investigation. |
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Factors affecting test performance/ results |
Avoid haemolysis. The assay is not suitable for the determination of hGH in samples from pregnant women due to a cross-reactivity to placental hGH. The assay is affected by pegvisomant (a highly selective GH receptor antagonist) and is therefore not suitable for patients under pegvisomant treatment. There is no interference with octreotide (somatostatin analogue) or cabergoline (dopamine agonist). Samples should not be taken from patients receiving therapy with high biotin doses (i.e. > 5 mg/day) until at least 8 hours following the last biotin administration. In rare cases, interference due to extremely high titres of antibodies to analyte-specific antibodies, streptavidin or ruthenium can occur. Results should always be assessed in conjunction with the patient’s medical history, clinical examination and other findings. |
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Reference range |
See above. Glucose tolerance test suppresses to at most 1 µg/L - see dynamic function tests. |
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Turnaround time |
3 days. |
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Enquiries |
Biochemistry (Automation) |
tted blood (gold cap, 5 mL tube). Smaller tubes are available for paediatric samples.