Intravenous metyrapone testing. Evaluation of growth hormone and adrenocorticotrophic hormone in children.
An intravenous metyrapone tartrate test was performed on 26 children to assess growth hormone (GH) reserve and pituitary-adrenal axis. Results were compared to the response evoked by an estrogen-primed arginine-insulin tolerance test (ATT/ITT). Administration of metyrapone intravenously proved to be a reliable means of evaluating pituitary-adrenal function. However, a normal serum GH concentration (greater than or equal to 7 ng/ml) during the test occurred in only nine of 18 children who had an adequate response to the ATT/ITT, and in three of these, the peak GH level occurred at the start of the infusion. Therefore, this procedure does not appear to be a satisfactory test for GH reserve in children. Further, the discrepancy between time of the peak serum concentrations of compound S and GH following intravenous administration of metyrapone does not support the contention that the rise of GH level during stress is secondary to release of adrenocorticotrophic hormone.
D015065:17-Hydroxycorticosteroids / Q000097:blood*; D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D001120:Arginine / Q000494:pharmacology; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003350:Cortodoxone / Q000097:blood*; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood* / Q000172:deficiency; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007328:Insulin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008797:Metyrapone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010912:Pituitary-Adrenal Function Tests; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors
D015065:17-Hydroxycorticosteroids; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D013006:Growth Hormone; D001120:Arginine; D003350:Cortodoxone; D008797:Metyrapone