title: Growth hormone secretion and response to growth hormone therapy after treatment for brain tumour.
abstract: Children irradiated for brain tumours constitute an increasing group of patients who will require GH therapy. High-dose cranial irradiation is necessary for cure, but inevitably causes GH deficiency within a few years. In 19 patients investigated between 2 and 9 years after irradiation, the spontaneous 24-hour GH secretion was markedly reduced. The secretory pattern indicated loss of regulating hypothalamic hormones. After exogenous GHRH was administered, the pituitary was able to respond with a prompt GH release, showing that pituitary function was unaffected. Ten prepubertal children growing at 3.8 +/- 0.3 cm/year were treated with GH, 0.1 IU/kg/day s.c. Their growth rate increased to 8.2 +/- 0.4 cm in the first year. An increased growth rate was also maintained in the second year.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001827:Body Height / Q000187:drug effects; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D011627:Puberty
chemical_list: D013006:Growth Hormone; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone