title: Negative correlation between plasma GHRH values and growth velocity in short prepubertal children.
abstract: Numerous data suggest that impaired growth hormone secretion in short children is usually related to abnormal regulation of the hormone at the hypothalamic level. In order to improve our understanding of neurohypothalamic dysfunction in short children, we measured basal and peak (after L-dopa stimulation) plasma growth hormone-releasing hormone levels in 43 prepubertal children. Among them, in 23 children suspected of having hypothalamic growth hormone dysregulation, growth hormone-releasing hormone values were significantly higher than those observed in normal short stature children (n = 20), no longer correlated with peak growth hormone following L-dopa, and negatively correlated with growth velocity. This suggests that a predominant inhibitor of growth hormone secretion, such as an increase in somatostatin tone, might be prevalent in a large number of children with partial growth hormone deficiency and suspected hypothalamic growth hormone dysregulation.
authors.affiliation: Service d'Endocrinologie Pédiatrique, Hôpital Robert Debré, Paris, France.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Evain-Brion
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Porquet
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fjellestad-Paulsen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Donnadieu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Noel
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leger
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Czernichow
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006128:Growth / Q000502:physiology*; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000097:blood*; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D007980:Levodopa / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D007980:Levodopa; D013006:Growth Hormone; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone