Comparison of the secretion of growth hormone during sleep and after pharmacologic stimulation. Results of treatment with hGH in cases of dissociated secretions
Garnier, P.E.; Raynaud, F.; Job, J.C.
Pathologie-Biologie 34(8): 943-947
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0369-8114 PMID: 3537938 Document Number: 267618
Maximal response (peak) of growth hormone (GH) after conventional pharmacologic stimuli have been compared to maximal level reached during sleep in 215 children (123 prepubertal, 92 early pubertal) (group A). A weak correlation (r = 0.37, p less than 0.001) was observed. Five sub-groups of patients could be distinguished according to their GH pharmacologic or sleep peaks: 115 with normal secretion in both cases (I), 10 with complete deficiency (II), 27 with partial deficiency (III), 34 with normal GH sleep secretion and low responses to stimuli (IV) and 29 with the inverse situation (V). A second group (B) of 30 very short children (17 prepubertal and 13 early pubertal) had borderline or variable responses after several pharmacologic stimuli. hGH therapy was done to every patients of sub-group A II, 12 of sub-group A III, 9 of subgroup A IV, 5 of sub-group A V and every one of group B. A sharp rise of growth rate has been obtained with hGH in every patients of sub-groups A II and A III, in 10 out of 14 patients of sub-groups A IV and A V and in almost all patients of group B. A sharp rise of growth rate has been obtained with hGH in every patients of sub-groups A II and A III, in 10 out of 14 patients of sub-groups A IV and A V and in almost all patients of group B. hGH effect in the three last kinds of patients, with atypical GH secretion, was better in those who were in early puberty.