title: Urinary growth hormone measurements in children with renal insufficiency.
abstract: It has been reported that intrinsic renal factors could affect urinary growth hormone (UGH) measurements. We compared UGH excretion in 21 children aged 4-16 years, with various degrees of renal insufficiency, with that in 10 control subjects aged 5-13 years. We found 100- to 1000-fold elevations in UGH in children with plasma creatinine concentrations > 120 mumol/L (Group A) compared with patients with plasma creatinine concentrations < 120 mumol/L (Group B) and control subjects. UGH excretion (microU) in the three groups was as follows: group A 804-8556 (median 2649); group B 1.0-85 (median 7.5); and controls 2.6-7.3 (median 4.0). Elevated urinary beta 2-microglobulin levels (microgram) were also observed in group A patients: 875-15,400 (median 11,637) as compared with group B, 1.0-104 (median 32) and controls, 3-18.7 (median 8.0). There was no significant difference in albumin excretion between groups A and B through six patients in group B with nephrotic syndrome (NS) excreted significantly more albumin (P < 0.05) than the other 15 patients investigated. Our data show that abnormalities of renal function have a profound effect on growth hormone excretion and we suggest proximal tubular dysfunction as the causative factor. We conclude that UGH measurements do not provide a reliable means of assessment of hypothalamo-pituitary function in patients with renal insufficiency.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biochemistry, University Hospital of Wales, Heath Park, Cardiff, UK.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Skinner
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Woodhead
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000419:Albuminuria; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000652:urine*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051437:Renal Insufficiency / Q000652:urine*; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin; D013006:Growth Hormone; D003404:Creatinine