Table 5
Growth hormone (GH) cutoff values and methods
| Centre | Paediatricians’ GH cutoff | Laboratory GH cutoff | GH method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturers suggested cutoff values for the interpretation of GH provocation tests: Nichols Advantage human GH, 7 ng/ml which is equivalent to 18.2 mU/l; DPC Immulite, laboratories should establish their own reference ranges. | |||
| *Samples referred for assay to another laboratory. | |||
| GHD, GH deficiency. | |||
| 1 | 20 mU/l | 20 mU/l | Nichols Advantage |
| 2 | 20 mU/l | 20 mU/l | DPC Immulite |
| 3 | 20 mU/l | 20 mU/l | DPC Immulite |
| 4 | >15 mU/l excludes GHD, <7 mU/l suggests GHD | >20 mU/l GHD unlikely, <10 mU/l suggests GHD | DPC Immulite* |
| 5 | Not stated | 15 mU/l | DPC Immulite |
| 6 | 15 mU/l | Not stated | Nichols Advantage* |
| 7 | 20 mU/l | 20 mU/l | DPC Immulite* |
| 8 | 15–20 | 5 mU/l | Nichols Advantage* |
| 9 | Not used | Not used | N/A |
| 10 | Not stated | >20 mU/l excludes GHD, 15–20 mU/l need further tests, <15 mU/l suggests GHD | Nichols Advantage* |
| 11 | 20 mU/l | 20 mU/l | Nichols Advantage* |
| 12 | Not stated | Not stated | Nichols Advantage* |
| 13 | >15 mU/l excludes GHD, <7 mU/l suggests GHD | 15–20 mU/l | Nichols Advantage* |
