Hormonal evaluation of 27 patients with acromegaly
Villabona, C.; Novials, A.; Soler, J.; Morató, J.; Gómez, J.M.; Navarro, M.A.
Medicina Clinica 84(6): 219-222
1985
ISSN/ISBN: 0025-7753 PMID: 3920452 Document Number: 266119
A hormonal evaluation of 27 patients with acromegaly was performed. The hypophyseal reserve of GH , FSH, TSH and ACTH was studied. GH PRL and TSH were determined after the administration of TRH; GH and PRL after the administration of L-dopa and bromocriptine, and the gonadotrophins and GH after the administration of LHRH. GH was also measured during oral glucose load (SOG) and after insulinic hypoglycemia. The hypothalamus-hypophysis-adrenal axis was studied by the metyrapone test. The measurement of basal serum GH in several determinations, the absence of GH inhibition during SOG which appeared in 80% , and its paradoxical response to TRH which was present in 44% were considered the most useful parameters for evaluating the activity of acromegaly. Apppoximately 25% of our patients had hyperprolactinemia and 50% had a deficit of PRL, 25% had a hyperesponse of the gonadotrophins to LHRH, 6 patients had a diminished response of TSH to TRH without demonstrating hypofunction or hyperfunction of the thyroid. Only 1 patient had a negative response to the metyrapone test.