Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Normal age-dependent values of serum insulin growth factor-I: Results from a healthy Italian population

  • Original Articles
  • Published:
Journal of Endocrinological Investigation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Serum IGF-I levels were measured in 547 non-hypopituitaric, non-acromegalic healthy subjects of both sexes in Italy to develop reference values in relation to age and sex. Participant subjects were stratified in three age classes (25–39, 40–59 and ≥60 yr) and IGF-I assay was carried out by double-antibody radio immunoassay. Pearson’s correlation coefficient between age and IGF-I values was calculated by sex and predefined age ranges. IGF-I levels significantly decreased with age (p<0.001, Kruskal-Wallis test) while sex was not a significant factor. The median IGF-I levels were 206 ng/ml in the 25–39 yr range, 147 ng/ml in the 40–59 yr range and 103 ng/ml in the ≥60 yr range. Pearson’s correlation coefficient confirmed the negative correlation between age and IGF-I levels in the total sample of subjects (r=−0.529). The r coefficient between age and IGF-I levels did not differ between sexes (r=−0.570 in males and r=−0.529 in females), thus reflecting no sex-effect on IGF-I levels decline over years. No correlations were found in the 25–39 yr range (r=−0.036) or in the 40–59 yr range (r=−0.080) either, while in subjects aged >60 yr, IGF-I levels tended to further decrease with increased age (r=0.389). Ranges of normal values set at the 2.5th–97.5th percentile in the three age ranges were 95.6–366.7 ng/ml between 25 and 39 yr, 60.8–297.7 ng/ml between 40 and 59 yr and 34.5–219.8 ng/ml in subjects aged ≥60 yr. This study may contribute to the development of age-specific reference ranges for IGF-I determination in serum of normal subjects of both sexes in Italy.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Consensus guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of adults with growth hormone deficiency: summary statement of the Growth Hormone Research Society Workshop on Adult Growth Hormone Deficiency. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1998, 83: 379–81.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Pittoni G, Gallioi G, Zanello M, et al. Activity of GH/IGF-I axis in trauma and septic patients during artificial nutrition: different behavior patterns? J Endocrinol Invest 2002, 25: 214–23.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Aimaretti G, Baldelli R, Corneli G, et al. IGFs and IGFBPs in adult growth hormone deficiency. Endocr Dev 2005, 9: 76–88.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Frystyk J, Skjarbaek C, Vestbo E, Fisker S, Orskov H. Circulating levels of free insulin-like growth factors in obese subjects: the impact of type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Metab Res Rev 1999, 15: 314–22.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Wabitsch M, Blum WF, Muche R, et al. Insulin-like growth factors and their binding proteins before and after weight loss and their associations with hormonal and metabolic parameters in obese adolescent girls. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1996, 20: 1073–80.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Juul A, Holm K, Kastrup KW, et al. Free insulin-like growth factor I serum levels in 1430 healthy children and adults, and its diagnostic value in patients suspected of growth hormone deficiency. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1997, 82: 2497–502.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Juul A, Kastrup KW, Pedersen SA, Skakkebaek NE. Growth hormone (GH) provocative retesting of 108 young adults with childhood-onset GH deficiency and the diagnostic value of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and IGF-binding protein-3. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1997, 82: 1195–201.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Hartman ML, Crowe BJ, Biller BM et al. Which patients do not require a GH stimulation test for the diagnosis of adult GH deficiency? J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2002, 87: 477–85.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Hilding A, Hall K, Wivall-Helleryd IL, Saaf M, Melin AL, Thoren M. Serum levels of insulin-like growth factor I in 152 patients with growth hormone deficiency, aged 19–82 years, in relation to those in healthy subjects. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1999, 84: 2013–9.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Consensus guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of growth hormone (GH) deficiency in childhood and adolescence. Summary statement of the GH Research Society. J Clin Endocrin Metab 2000, 85: 3990–3.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Clemmons DR. Clinical utility of measurements of insulin-like growth factor 1. Nat Clin Pract Endocrinol Metab 2006, 2: 436–46.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Massart C, Poirier JT. Serum insulin-like growth factor-I measurement in the follow-up of treated acromegaly: Comparison of four immunoassays. Clin Chim Acta 2006, 373: 176–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Fisker S, Jorgensen JO, Vahl N, Orskov H, Christiansen JS. Impact of gender and androgen status on IGF-I levels in normal and GH-deficient adults. Eur J Endocrinol 1999, 141: 601–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Mukherjee A, Monson JP, Jonsson PJ, Trainer PJ, Shalet SM; KIMS International Board. Seeking the optimal target range for insulin-like growth factor I during the treatment of adult growth hormone disorders. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2003, 88: 5865–70.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Ghigo E, Aimaretti G, Maccario M, et al. Dose-response study of GH effects on circulating IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels in healthy young men and women. Am J Physiol 1999, 276: 1009–13.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Granada ML, Murillo J, Lucas A, et al. Diagnostic efficiency of serum IGF-I, IGF-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3), IGF-I/IGFBP-3 molar ratio and urinary GH measurements in the diagnosis of adult GH deficiency: importance of an appropriate reference population. Eur J Endocrinol 2000, 142: 243–53.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Nystrom FH, Ohman PK, Ekman BA, Osterlund MK, Karlberg BE, Arnqvist HJ. Population-based reference values for IGF-I and IGF-binding protein-1: relations with metabolic and anthropometric variables. Eur J Endocrinol 1997, 136: 165–72.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Juul A, Dalgaard P, Blum WF, et al. Serum levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) in healthy infants, children, and adolescents: the relation to IGF-I, IGF-II, IGFBP-1, IGFBP-2, age, sex, body mass index, and pubertal maturation. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1995, 80: 2534–42.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Brabant G, von zur Muhlen A, Wuster C, et al. Serum insulin-like growth factor I reference values for an automated chemiluminescence immunoassay system: results from a multicenter study. Horm Res 2003, 60: 53–60.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Lofqvist C, Andersson E, Gelander L, et al. Reference values for IGF-I throughout childhood and adolescence: a model that accounts simultaneously for the effect of gender, age, and puberty. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2001, 86: 5870–6.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Corneli G, Rovere S, Croce CS, et al. Age related cut-off limits of Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I in the diagnostic screening of adult growth hormone deficit (A-GHD) using ROC plot analysis. XXXI National Congress of the Italian Society of Endocrinology, Magazzini del Cotone, Genoa (Italy), 4–7 May 2005. J Endocrinol Invest 2005, 28(Suppl 4): PP227 (Abstract).

    Google Scholar 

  22. Daughaday WH, Mariz IK, Blethen SL. Inhibition of access of bound somatomedin to membrane receptor and immunoglobin sites: a comparison of radioreceptor and radioimmunoassay of somatomedin in native and acidethanol extracted serum. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1980, 51: 781–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Bland JM, Altman DG. Statistical methods for assessing agreement between two methods of clinical measurement. Lancet 1986, 1: 307–10

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Thissen JP, Ketelslegers JM, Underwood LE. Nutritional regulation of the insulin-like growth factors. Endocr Rev 1994, 15: 80–101.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Unden AL, Elofsson S, Knox S, Lewitt MS, Brismar K. IGF-I in a normal population: relation to psychosocial factors. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 2002, 57: 793–803.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Landin-Wilhelmsen K, Lundberg PA, Lappas G, Wilhelmsen L. Insulin-like growth factor I levels in healthy adults. Horm Res 2004, 62 (Suppl 1): 8–16.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Tiryakioglu O, Kadiolgu P, Canerolgu NU, Hatemi H. Age dependency of serum insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 in healthy Turkish adolescents and adults. Indian J Med Sci 2003, 57: 543–8.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Kitano M, Shimizu T, Yamazaki Y, Umezu Y, Arakawa Y, Daimon Y. Serum insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in normal Japanese adults. Endocr J 1995, 42: 767–70.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. McGreevy K, Hoel B, Lipsitz S, Bissada N, Hoel D. Racial and anthropometric differences in plasma levels of insulin-like growth factor I and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3. Urology 2005, 66: 587–92.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Ranke MB, Osterziel KJ, Schweizer R, et al, Reference levels of insulin-like growth factor I in the serum of healthy adults: comparison of four immunoassays. Clin Chem Lab Med 2003, 41: 1329–34.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Ivan D, Brabant G, Kann PH; German KIMS Board. Applicability of recently established reference values for serum insulin-like growth factor 1: A comparison of two assays an (automated) chemiluminescence immunoassay and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Clin Lab 2005, 51: 381–7.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Blum WK, Breier BH. Radioimmunoassays for IGFs and IGFBPs. Growth Regul 1994, 4(Suppl 1): 11–9.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Via Solaroli 17, 28100, Novara, Italy

    G. Aimaretti & G. Corneli

  2. Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism (DISEM), University of Genoa, Genoa

    M. Boschetti, A. Barreca, L. Fazzuoli, D. Ferone & F. Minuto

  3. Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Turin, Turin

    V. Gasco & E. Ghigo

  4. Eli Lilly Italia S.p.A., Sesto Fiorentino, Florence

    D. Valle & A. Rossi

  5. S.O.D. Safety and Quality, Careggi Hospital, Florence, Italy

    M. Borsotti

Authors
  1. G. Aimaretti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. M. Boschetti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. G. Corneli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. V. Gasco
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. D. Valle
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. M. Borsotti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. A. Rossi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. A. Barreca
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. L. Fazzuoli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. D. Ferone
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. E. Ghigo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  12. F. Minuto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to G. Aimaretti.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Aimaretti, G., Boschetti, M., Corneli, G. et al. Normal age-dependent values of serum insulin growth factor-I: Results from a healthy Italian population. J Endocrinol Invest 31, 445–449 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03346389

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03346389

Key-words

Search

Navigation