Reduced serum insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism are common features of adult beta-thalassemia, and warrant evaluation of the growth hormone (GH)-IGF-1 axis. The aim of this study was to determine GH reserve in beta-thalassemia patients (9 females, 7 males, 15 major, 1 intermedia), age 29.3 +/- 6.9 years, BMI 21.3 +/- 1.9 kg/m2, and in 20 age, sex and BMI-matched healthy controls, using the GH-releasing hormone (GHRH)-arginine test. The associations between peak GH response and hormonal and biochemical indices were evaluated. Using BMI-related cut-off limits for peak GH response in the GHRH-arginine test, 4/16 beta-thalassemia patients had peak GH lower than 11.5 microg/l, the cut-off limit suggested for lean subjects, and were diagnosed as GH deficient (GHD). Using 9 microg/l as the cut-off limit 2/16 patients were GHD. Reduced serum IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 were present in 69% and 19% of the patients, respectively. Peak GH did not correlate with serum IGF-1, TSH, and fT4 levels or gonadal status. Neither peak GH nor IGF-1 correlated with serum ferritin. Our findings suggest that GHD is present in up to a quarter of adult beta-thalassemia patients. The clinical benefits of GH therapy need to be determined. GHD alone does not account for the high prevalence of reduced IGF-1 in adult beta-thalassemia.