title: Assessment of hypothalamic-pituitary function in patients with familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy.
abstract: This study was performed to evaluate hypothalamic-pituitary hormone regulation in patients with familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy. Twenty-two patients without clinically overt endocrinological dysfunction were studied. A thyrotropin-releasing hormone test revealed abnormal growth hormone regulation in 9 of 17 (53%) patients, and abnormal prolactin regulation in 9 of 18 (50%) patients. Abnormalities in either growth hormone or prolactin regulation were found in 12 of 17 (71%) patients. Serum somatomedin C levels were normal in all 22 patients. In 3 of 18 (17%) patients the plasma arginine vasopressin levels were low relative to the serum osmolality levels. Thus abnormalities in hypothalamic-pituitary hormone regulation may be common in familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chemistry, University of Umeå, Sweden.
authors.forename: B O
authors.initials: BO
authors.lastname: Olofsson
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Grankvist
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Olsson
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Boman
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Forsberg
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lafvas
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lithner
mesh_terms: D000686:Amyloidosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D011115:Polyneuropathies / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011388:Prolactin / Q000378:metabolism; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone
chemical_list: D001127:Arginine Vasopressin; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D011388:Prolactin; D013006:Growth Hormone