[Evaluation of Clinical Features and Growth Hormone Deficiency in Short Children Born Small For Gestational Age].

Growth hormone (GH) therapy for short children born small for gestational age (SGA) has been approved in Japan. It is important to evaluate GH secretion ability before the initiation of GH therapy because there are some differences in dose and medical expenses between short children born SGA and GH deficiency (GHD). This study was designed to elucidate the incidence of GHD and to find a useful marker for detecting it in short SGA children.