title: The effect of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists on growth hormone secretion in adult premenopausal women.
abstract: Suppression of the pituitary-gonadal axis by the administration of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRH-a) has been used for a variety of endocrinological and gynecological disorders. The suppressive effect of GnRH-a on luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and sex steroid production is well documented. However, little is known regarding the effect of GnRH-a on other aspects of pituitary function. The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of GnRH-a treatment on growth hormone-releasing hormone (GH-RH)-stimulated GH release in premenopausal women. Eight control women and seven women, who were receiving a GnRH-a, were recruited. Before and after a bolus infusion of human GH-RH, blood samples were obtained over 3 hours and analyzed for GH by immunoassay. Basal GH and insulin-like growth factor levels were not statistically different between the two groups. However, basal levels of estradiol and the integrated GH response after GH-RH were significantly lower in the GnRH-a treated women. The reduction in GH-RH-stimulated GH release in GnRH-a treated women may be attributed to diminished endogenous estrogen secretion, or to direct pituitary suppression by GnRH-a, or both.
authors.affiliation: Division of Reproductive Endocrinology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas 75235.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Word
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Odom
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Byrd
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Carr
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics
chemical_list: D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D004958:Estradiol; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D013006:Growth Hormone; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone