title: The rationale for the use of growth hormone or insulin-like growth factor I in adult patients with renal failure.
abstract: Since the development of recombinant DNA technology, there has been a rapid expansion of research concerning the use of recombinant DNA synthesized human growth hormone (rhGH) for the treatment of clinical disorders. rhGH has been used to treat patients with acute catabolic stress caused by surgery, trauma and sepsis, children with chronic renal insufficiency and impaired growth, patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis who are malnourished, and individuals on weight reduction diets. These studies indicate that rhGH enhances protein balance in acutely stressed patients and in malnourished maintenance hemodialysis patients, promotes catch-up growth in children with chronic renal failure, and may reduce protein wasting and enhance lipolysis in obese individuals on weight reduction diets. Experimental studies suggest that in addition to enhancing anabolism, rhGH may increase both immune function and the rate of wound healing. Many, but not all, of the effects of rhGH are mediated through insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I). For example, the hyperglycemic and lipolytic effects of rhGH do not seem to be caused by IGF-I. Animal or human studies suggest that with severe malnutrition or severe sepsis, rhGH treatment may neither increase serum IGF-I levels nor promote anabolism. These observations provide a rationale for administering IGF-I as an anabolic hormone for severely malnourished or septic patients with renal failure. Further studies will be necessary to examine both the short-term and long-term potential benefits and adverse effects of rhGH or rhIGF-I treatment in these conditions.
authors: Department of Medicine, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance 90509.
authors: J D
authors: JD
authors: Kopple
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D013006:Growth Hormone