title: Effects of exogenous growth hormone pretreatment on the pituitary growth hormone response to growth hormone-releasing hormone alone or in combination with pyridostigmine in type I diabetic patients.
abstract: We evaluated the effects of iv pretreatment with exogenous GH on the GH response to GHRH either alone or in combination with pyridostigmine in 14 Type I diabetic patients and 6 normal subjects. All the subjects received an iv bolus injection of biosynthetic human GH, 2 IU; 2 h later they received either a. pyridostigmine, 120 mg orally, or b. placebo, 2 tablets orally, followed 1 h later by iv injection of GHRH(1-29) NH2, 100 micrograms. In normal subjects the median GH peak after GH+ GHRH was 1.8, range 1.2-6.9 micrograms/l. Pyridostigmine enhanced the GH response to GHRH in all subjects. The median GH peak after pyridostigmine + GH + GHRH was 32.7, range 19.8-42.1 micrograms/l (p less than 0.001 vs GHRH alone). Seven diabetic subjects had median GH peaks after GH + GHRH greater than 6.9 micrograms/l (the maximum GH peak after GH + GHRH in normal subjects) (group A: median GH peak 35.7, range 21.7-55 micrograms/l). The other diabetic subjects had GH peak lower than 6.9 micrograms/l (group B: median GH peak 4.4, range 2.1-6.5 micrograms/l). Pyridostigmine significantly increased the GH response to GHRH in group B patients (median GH peak 29.3, range 15.7-93.4 micrograms/l, p less than 0.001 vs GH + GHRH alone), but not in group A patients (median GH peak 39.9, range 21.9-64.9 micrograms/l). Group A diabetic patients were younger and had higher HbA1c and blood glucose levels than group B patients. In those diabetic patients with an exaggerated GH response to GH + GHRH, pyridostigmine failed to cause the increase in GH secretion observed in diabetic and control subjects with no responses to GH + GHRH.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Cattedra di Clinica Medica, University of Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giustina
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bossoni
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bodini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cimino
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pizzocolo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schettino
authors.forename: W B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Wehrenberg
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011729:Pyridostigmine Bromide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D013006:Growth Hormone; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone; D011729:Pyridostigmine Bromide