title: Effects of estradiol valerate on growth hormone and prolactin response to growth hormone-releasing hormone stimulation in pre- and postmenopausal women.
abstract: We investigated the relationship between the growth hormone and prolactin response to stimulation of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) and changes in body weight in pre- and postmenopausal women before and after 4 and 20 weeks of oral hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Ten postmenopausal women (with levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) of > 30 mIU/ml) were compared to ten premenopausal women suffering from post-pill amenorrhea (FSH < 10 mIU/ml). Both patient groups reported anamnestic body weight increases in the course of the former use of sex hormones. Additionally, ten postmenopausal women without anamnestic weight changes were studied. A significant reduction in the growth hormone response to GHRH was observed during the first month of HRT in women gaining weight, which was restored to pre-therapeutic levels after 6 months of HRT. A small but statistically significant increase in insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I levels occurred in the course of HRT in all patients studied. These changes in growth hormone stimulation testing and IGF-I levels were accompanied by distinct changes in body weight. No reduction in the GHRH response was observed in those patients who did not gain body weight. Although GHRH stimulation induces a significant rise of prolactin concentrations in all patients before therapy no influence on prolactin levels could be demonstrated during HRT.
authors.affiliation: University of Vienna Medical School, Department of Special Gynecology, Austria.
authors.forename: B W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Hartmann
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kirchengast
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Albrecht
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Laml
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Huber
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Söregi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004958:Estradiol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000502:physiology*; D017697:Premenopause / Q000502:physiology*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood*; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D004958:Estradiol; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D011388:Prolactin; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone