OBJECTIVES

: Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) is a medical condition affecting adults and children who lack sufficient growth hormone. The objective of this study was to determine what tests are most commonly used for diagnosis of paediatric and adult GHD patients across EU5 (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and UK).

METHODS

: Results are from Ipsos’ EU5 GHD Therapy Monitor Study, which is an online study conducted among physicians treating GHD patients both paediatric and adult. 156 Physicians provided data on the last 5 consecutive GHD patients (reporting on 779 patients) between November 2018 and January 2019. Data included demographics, comorbidities, diagnostic test, disease history, and treatment patterns. Descriptive analysis was conducted using appropriate statistical tests.

RESULTS

: Average age of childhood onset GHD in EU5 is 8 years old, adult onset is 40 years. Blood tests are the most commonly used test type across all GHD patients (used in 96% of paediatric patients and 93% of adult patients), followed by imaging tests for paediatric patients (73%) and provocative tests for adult patients (71%). Provocative tests for adult patients are more commonly used in UK and Germany, compared to Spain while provocative tests for paediatric patients are more commonly used in the UK, France & Italy compared to Germany. Genetic tests are more frequently used in paediatric patients than in adults overall (41% vs. 16% respectively). In paediatric patients, they are used significantly more in the UK than in Germany and Italy. Conversely, they see greater use in adult patients in France, Germany and Italy than in the UK.

CONCLUSIONS

: Blood tests are the most frequently used test type across all GHD patients in EU5 countries, with greater use of genetic tests amongst paediatric patients compared to adult. Furthermore, significant country differences between genetic and provocative tests shows route to diagnosis differs across Europe.