Abstract
Introduction: Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) is an endocrine disease characterized by insufficient production of this hormone by the pituitary gland. The causes can be congenital or acquired.
Objective: To review the causes, clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment of growth hormone deficiency in adults.
Methods: A narrative review of the literature on the causes, clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment of adult growth hormone deficiency was performed.
Results: Growth hormone (GH) in adulthood is involved in multiple organs and physiological processes, such as substrate metabolism, bone remodeling, body composition, physical and psychosocial function, its deficit has effects at the level of all these processes, effects that are potentially reversible with hormone supplementation.
Conclusions: growth hormone deficiency in adulthood is an underdiagnosed disease for which many times patients do not receive the indicated treatment, but whose effects include multiple organs and physiological processes, symptoms that can be improved with hormonal supplementation, providing the patient with a better quality of life.
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