The plasma arginine vasopressin response to insulin-induced hypoglycaemia in children with short stature is related to age and the onset of puberty.
The plasma arginine vasopressin (AVP) response to insulin-induced hypoglycaemia was investigated in 27 children with short stature. None had diabetes insipidus. Six patients were excluded from further analysis because of hypothalamo-pituitary dysfunction. Of the remainder, 14 were prepubertal (Tanner 1) and seven were pubertal (Tanner 2-4). Both groups had similar height velocity retardation. There was a significant rise of AVP of 3.4 +/- 1.3 pmol/l at 30 min in the pubertal group (P less than 0.05) but no significant change in prepubertal patients. There was a significant relationship between chronological age and AVP response 30 min after insulin (r = 0.45, P less than 0.05) and a closer correlation between bone age and AVP response (r = 0.62, P less than 0.01). The data suggest that insulin-induced hypoglycaemia does not reliably stimulate AVP secretion in children and that this response is related to age and pubertal stage.
Seckl
J R
JR
Medical Unit, Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School, Westminster Hospital, London.
Dunger
D B
DB
Huen
K
K
Lightman
S L
SL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000097:blood*; D007328:Insulin; D008297:Male; D011627:Puberty / Q000097:blood*
D007328:Insulin; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin