Nocturnal growth hormone release in children with short stature and atopic dermatitis.

This study was designed to test the hypothesis that children with atopic dermatitis and short stature fail to release growth hormone after falling asleep. Peak serum growth hormone response to arginine was compared with peak growth hormone concentration during sleep in 6 children with atopic dermatitis and short stature (greater than 3 SD below the mean) aged 7 to 12 years, and 5 control children aged 9 to 12 years without atopic dermatitis or asthma but with unexplained short stature (greater than 3 SD below the mean). All 5 control children achieved normal levels of growth hormone after falling asleep, whereas 3 of the 6 children with dermatitis did not. All patients with dermatitis were capable of releasing growth hormone after arginine stimulation. The results suggest that in some prepubertal children with atopic dermatitis and short stature there may be an impairment of growth hormone release during stage 4 sleep.