Pattern of growth hormone response to insulin, arginine and haemodialysis in uraemic children

Abstract

Plasma growth hormone (GH) concentrations after insulin and arginine stimulation were estimated in 11 dialyzed and 6 non-dialyzed children with chronic renal failure. Twenty healthy children served as controls. Plasma GH peak concentration and estimation of the total area under the plasma GH concentration-time curve by the trapezoidal rule were used to evaluate results. Elevated basal GH levels and an exaggerated response to the stimuli were seen in several of the patients. The causes of the abnormal GH secretion and the role of high GH levels in carbohydrate intolerance are discussed. No consistent pattern was seen in GH secretion during haemodialysis without glucose in the dialysate. In children undergoing haemodialysis with a fluid containing glucose, plasma GH fell considerably.

Prolactin response to exercise, metoclopramide and other provocative agents in children

“…The effect of various aminoacids upon the release of GH and PRL has been studied in man. Intravenous administration of arginine in pharmacological doses stimulates the release of GH (Knopf et al 1965;Merimee et al 1965;Friesen et al 1972;BratuschMarrain and Waldh~iusl 1979;Ijaiya 1979) and PRL Guyda and Friesen 1973;Rakoffet al 1973;Onishi et al 1976;Bratusch-Marrain and Waldh~iusl 1979) but release of PRL after arginine infusion is believed to occur only in a small percentage of the subjects studied. In the present study, the time courses of GH and PRL release were dissociated and occurred approximately 15min earlier for PRL than GH.…”

Metabolic clearance rate of biosynthetic growth hormone after endogenous growth hormone suppression with a somatostatin analogue in chronic renal failure patients and control subjects

“…Circulating growth hormone (GH) concentrations are either elevated or at the upper limit of normal in chronic renal failure (uraemic) patients (Saaman & Freeman, 1970;Czernichow et al, 1976). Furthermore, inappropriate or exaggerated GH responses to a whole range of stimuli have been reported (Gonzalez-Barcena et al, 1973;Wright et al, 1968;Orskov & Christensen, 1971;Ijaiya, 1979;Marumo et al, 1979). As the kidney catabolizes GH (Johnson & Maack, 1979;Rabkin et al, 1972), the abnormally elevated basal values and responses to stimuli have been attributed to the reduced clearance of G H in uraemia (Salmon et al, 1962;Bessarione et al, 1987).…”

Human Growth and Growth Hormone: From Antiquity to the Recominant Age to the Future

“…Inadequate nutrition may play a role, but there were hints that low somatomedin C (IGF-1) activity could also be an important contributing factor ( 68 , 69 ). By the end of the decade children were undergoing GH stimulation tests that suggested that GH deficiency was likely not the cause of their slow growth, but rather GH resistance may be the underlying factor ( 70 ). Could “flooding the system” with rhGH be the answer to permitting children with CRI to grow more quickly?…”