Evaluation of growth hormone stimulation tests in cured acromegalic patients.

Abstract

UNLABELLED:

We have evaluated the GH peak response to insulin tolerance test (ITT) and to GHRH+arginine in 11 patients cured of acromegaly after treatment with surgery/radiotherapy and compared them to a control group matched for age and sex. GH peak response was significantly higher in the control group than in the patient group (11.21+/-6.98 vs. 4.46+/-6.90 ng/ml, p=0.010). Seven patients had a GH peak response of less than 3 ng/ml, compatible with the diagnosis of GH deficiency. Peak GH response after GHRH+arginine was significantly lower in the group of patients with GH peak of less than 3 ng/ml during ITT as compared to the group with GH peak of more than 3 ng/ml, and in all cases the diagnosis of GH deficiency was confirmed. Mean IGF-I level was not different between the patients and controls, as well as between patients with and without GH deficiency diagnosed by the stimulation tests.

CONCLUSION:

The incidence of GHD diagnosed by stimulation tests is high in patients cured of acromegaly.

• Authors: Flavia Lucia Conceição, Sanne Fisker, Marianne Andersen, Andreas Kaal, Jens Otto Lunde Jørgensen, Mario Vaisman, Jens Sandahl Christiansen
• Journal: Growth hormone & IGF research : official journal of the Growth Hormone Research Society and the International IGF Research Society (Growth Horm IGF Res) Vol. 13 Issue 6 Pg. 347-52 (Dec 2003) ISSN: 1096-6374 [Print] Scotland
• PMID: 14624769 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Insulin
• Human Growth Hormone
• Insulin-Like Growth Factor I
• Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone
• Arginine

Topics

• Acromegaly (drug therapy, radiotherapy, surgery)
• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Arginine (metabolism)
• Case-Control Studies
• Female
• Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone
• Human Growth Hormone (blood, deficiency, pharmacology)
• Humans
• Insulin
• Insulin-Like Growth Factor I (metabolism)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Predictive Value of Tests
• Stimulation, Chemical