title: Human growth hormone-releasing hormone (hGH-RH; hGRF) treatment of four patients with GH deficiency.
abstract: Four patients with GH deficiency aged 6-14 years old were treated with hGRF for 6 months. Before the treatment maximal plasma GH responses to 50 micrograms iv hGRF administration were 48.6, 12.1, 24.3 and 13.0 ng/ml, respectively. Human GRF was administered at a dosage of 50-100 micrograms twice a day subcutaneously. In two patients, the growth rate was increased from 2.4 and 2.0 cm/year to 8.2 and 9.8 cm/year, respectively. In the other two patients, the growth rate did not change with hGRF treatment. Plasma somatomedin C levels increased in one patient but did not change in the other three. Antibody to hGRF was observed in two patients during the treatment, but the presence of antibody did not affect the growth rate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical College, Kobe University, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takano
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hizuka
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Asakawa
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chihara
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sanayama
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shizume
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000172:deficiency*; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D013006:Growth Hormone; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone