The measurement of growth hormone in urine(U-GH)is simple and non invasive method which might correlate with the spontaneous secretion of growth hormone(GH), in physiologic conditions. This method could be useful to assess patients with GH deficiency and to screen growth retardation in children. OBJECTIVE: Is to evaluate the usefulness of U-GH determinations as a valid method to detect GH deficiency in patients with growth retardation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 3 study groups were made up with preouberal children. Group I(GI):27(19♂,8g)healthy children with normal heigth (NCHS). Group II (GII):28(23♂.5♀) children with height 5th percentile (NCHS) and with normal response of GH stimulation test with clonidine. Group III(GIII):8(5♂, 3♀) children known GH deficiency. Two 12 hour specimens were collected in consecutive days, night-hours included. Urine specimens were kept refrigerated in plastics recipients. U-GH determinations were performed in duplicate by the enzime inmunometric method (U-GH) Norditest TM). RESULTS.- Table

Table 1 UGH in GI-GII-GIII TABLE 2. Intraindividual CV for U-GH
Full size table

The sensivity was 87.5% and the specificity was 92.6%. There was no significant difference between genders (Fisher's exact probability test). There was no significant difference between GI and GII(P> 0.5)and there was a significant difference between GI and GIII(p< 0.0001)and GII and GIII(p< 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS: The U-GH measurement is easily applicable, non invasive, highly sensitive and specific method, which permits good discrimination between normal children and GH deficiency patients. It is a simple screening test to exclude GH deficiency.