Further Observations on Plasma Somatomedin Activity in Children

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses observations on plasma somatomedin (SM) activity in children. It discusses the findings on SM activity in plasma of a nonselect group of schoolchildren, in malnutrition, and in emotional-deprivation short stature. In the schoolchildren, an inverse relationship with plasma Cortisol was noted which accounted for obvious morning vs afternoon differences. No correlation was found with a series of clinical parameters, including sex, standard deviation score for height, growth rate, and weight. In children with malnutrition, the presence of a SM-inhibiting substance was further substantiated, and its heat lability was demonstrated. In patients with the emotional-deprivation short stature, the variability of plasma GH and insulin levels demonstrates the heterogeneity of the syndrome. The uniformly low plasma SM activity suggests that this compound may play a causative role in the growth failure of these children. Its slow return to normal during catch-up growth suggests hypersensitivity of the growing tissues during the initial period of hospitalization, and further supports the hypothesis of SM deficiency.