Abstract: Objective To analyze the results of growth hormone provocation tests and its relationship with the response to recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) in short stature. Methods Thirty-six growth hormone deficiency (GHD) patients and 24 idiopathic short stature patients who completed levodopa and insulin GH provocation test were analyzed retrospectively. The height during rhGH treatment was collected and correlation analysis was conducted. Results In the GHD group, there was a positive correlation between the peaks and area under curve (AUC) of the two GH provocation tests and height SDS (P < 0.001). After adjusting for gender, age, bone age and weight SDS, the positive correlation between the peak and AUC of L-DOPA provocation test and height SDS still existed (r 0.471 and 0.427, respectively, P < 0.05). But such correlation was not found in the ISS group. The height SDS and GV of both groups increased significantly after rhGH treatment, and height SDS of GHD was significantly higher than that of ISS at the second year of treatment. However, GV in the second year of treatment decreased compared with that in the first year of treatment. Correlation analysis showed that GV in the first year of treatment in GHD group was negatively correlated with the peak value and AUC of GH provocation tests, while this was not found in ISS group. Conclusions rhGH can significantly improve the height of patients with GHD and ISS, but the GV decreased as the time of treatment increased. GH provocation tests can predict the therapeutic effect of rhGH in GHD children, but those cannot predict the therapeutic effect of rhGH in ISS children.

Key words: shorth stature, growth hormone provocation tests, growth hormone deficiency, idiopathic short stature