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Growth Hormone Resistance

Meaning

Growth hormone resistance is a clinical state where target tissues exhibit a reduced responsiveness to the circulating levels of growth hormone (GH), despite the hormone being present in normal or even elevated concentrations. This diminished sensitivity leads to a critical failure in generating an appropriate biological response, most notably a reduced production of Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) in the liver. The resulting clinical picture often mirrors growth hormone deficiency, manifesting as growth retardation in children or a complex metabolic syndrome in adults, demanding differential diagnosis.