A patient with growth hormone deficiency is likely to exhibit which characteristic?

In cases of growth hormone deficiency, patients typically demonstrate truncal adiposity. This means that fat tends to accumulate in the trunk region, leading to a higher waist-to-hip ratio. Growth hormone plays a critical role in regulating body composition, influencing fat distribution, and promoting lean body mass. When there is a deficiency of this hormone, individuals may experience an increase in fat deposition, particularly in the central areas of their body, while also exhibiting limited muscle mass and growth.

Prominent facial features are more often associated with conditions that cause excess growth hormone, such as acromegaly, rather than deficiency. Muscle hypertrophy, which refers to the growth of muscle fibers leading to increased muscle mass, is also not characteristic of growth hormone deficiency; in fact, due to lower levels of growth hormone, muscle mass may decrease. Lastly, excessive height growth is directly related to the presence of growth hormone and its effects on growth plates; therefore, a deficiency would lead to reduced growth and shorter stature rather than excessive height.