The assessment of the dopaminergic tonus by urinary determinations of homovanillic acid (HVA) and dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) in normal, obese and GH-deficient short children.
In order to assess the dopaminergic tonus, urinary determinations of HVA and DOPAC and also of noradrenaline (NA), adrenaline (A), and methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) were performed in 86 obese children, 11 growth hormone (GH)-deficient short children and also in 40 control children. Part of the obese patients were subjected to a low carbohydrate, low calorie diet and also to short-term (9-14 days) courses of diethylpropion (DEP) 50 mg/day, meclofenoxate (MEC) 100 mg/day and thyroid extract (THE) 1-2 mg/kg/day. The GH-deficient patients received only THE in substitutive (5-10 mg/kg/day) doses. Significative correlations between DOPAC and age, weight and height were found in controls. In the obese group a significantly increased mean level of HVA was found (1.45 +/- 0.09 mg/24 h vs 1.15 +/- 0.10 in controls). The excretion of DOPAC was slightly greater but far from significance. There was also a significant decrease of HVA but not DOPAC in the DEP-treated obese. The rest of the drugs and the diet alone were not effective in any way. Normal levels in all metabolites except NA and A were found in GH-deficient short children. The therapy with thyroid extract did not alter the excretion levels. These findings indicate that in infantile obesity the dopaminergic tonus is somewhat increased but its pathophysiological significance is doubtful. In GH-deficient short children of standard appearance the dopaminergic tonus seems to be undistinguishable from normal.
Popa
M
M
C. I. Parhon Institute of Endocrinology, Bucharest, Romania.
Stefănescu
A M
AM
Dumitriu
L
L
Simionescu
L
L
Giurcăneanu
M
M
D015102:3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid / Q000652:urine*; D002648:Child; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004393:Dwarfism, Pituitary / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000652:urine; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000652:urine; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000172:deficiency*; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000652:urine*; D006801:Humans; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / Q000652:urine; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000652:urine; D009765:Obesity / Q000628:therapy / Q000652:urine*; D010648:Phenylacetates / Q000652:urine*; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine / Q000502:physiology*; D013961:Thyroid Gland; D014020:Tissue Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use
D010648:Phenylacetates; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine; D014020:Tissue Extracts; D015102:3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol; D013006:Growth Hormone; D009638:Norepinephrine; D006719:Homovanillic Acid; D004837:Epinephrine