Insulin secretion in children with growth retardation.

The effect of tolbutamide administration on insulin secretion was studied in 69 children with growth retardation. Diminished insulin secretion was found in all the patients, compared to the control group. This insulin deficit was most evident in patients with isolated, total GH deficiency and least evident in children with idiopathic short stature. Intermediate values were found in dwarfism due to isolated, partial GH deficiency. These results favour the hypothesis that hypoinsulinism contributes to the somatotropin deficiency in causing growth retardation.