Growth hormone response to growth hormone-releasing hormone in early abstinent alcoholic patients.
The alpha-2-adrenoceptor agonist clonidine is able to stimulate GHRH secretion directly or via beta-endorphin and, therefore, induces a GH release in normal subjects. This effect has been shown to be blunted in alcoholism during early abstinence, due to central alterations of adrenergic mechanisms. To evaluate pituitary responsiveness to direct stimulation with GHRH, we have studied the GH and PRL response to GHRH in 10 alcoholics during early abstinence. Our data indicate that the pituitary response to GHRH is intact in abstinent alcoholics, except in obese patients, who displayed a blunted GH response. GHRH did not increase PRL. The dissociation between clonidine and GHRH in GH stimulation could reveal a different neuroendocrine mechanism, in comparison with other psychiatric disorders (anorexia nervosa), in which such a dissociation is accompanied by a PRL response to GHRH.
De Marinis
L
L
Institute of Endocrinology, Catholic University School of Medicine, Rome, Italy.
Mancini
A
A
Fiumara
C
C
Conte
G
G
Iacona
T
T
Ianiri
L
L
Zeppetelli
E
E
Gobbi
G
G
Tempesta
E
E
D000328:Adult; D000430:Alcohol Withdrawal Delirium / Q000097:blood*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000097:blood / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003000:Clonidine; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D012016:Reference Values
D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011388:Prolactin; D013006:Growth Hormone; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone; C059148:somatotropin releasing hormone (1-29); D003000:Clonidine