title: Effects of short-term growth hormone treatment on PTH, calcitriol, thyroid hormones, insulin and glucagon.
abstract: We measured changes in serum insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), calcitriol, parathyroid hormone (PTH), thyroid hormones, insulin, and plasma glucagon in response to seven days of treatment with a pharmacological dosage of recombinant human growth hormone (r-hGH) (0.1 IU/kg sc twice daily) or placebo in 20 normal male volunteers to evaluate whether the effect of r-hGH on biochemical bone markers could be attributed to changes in these hormones. Serum IGF-1 (p < 0.001) and vitamin D-binding protein (p < 0.001) increased steadily during treatment returning to baseline at day 14. Total calcitriol (p < 0.01) and free calcitriol index (p < 0.001) increased transiently at day 4. Furthermore, serum insulin (p < 0.001) and both total (p < 0.001) and free triiodothyronine (p < 0.02) increased during treatment, while serum PTH and plasma glucagon remained unchanged. In conclusion, pharmacological doses of r-hGH increased not only IGF-1 but also free-calcitriol index, insulin, and free T3. The increase in these hormones may be co-responsible for some of the observed effects of r-hGH on bone turnover and calcium homeostasis.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Aarhus County Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Brixen
authors.forename: H K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bouillon
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Flyvbjerg
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mosekilde
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002117:Calcitriol / Q000097:blood; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010187:Pancreatic Hormones / Q000097:blood; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000097:blood; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood; D014809:Vitamin D-Binding Protein / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D006728:Hormones; D010187:Pancreatic Hormones; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D013963:Thyroid Hormones; D014809:Vitamin D-Binding Protein; D014807:Vitamin D; D013006:Growth Hormone; D002117:Calcitriol