Effect of hormone replacement therapy on growth hormone stimulation in women with premature ovarian failure.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effect of oral hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on body weight, insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), and GH response to exogenous GHRH [corrected] in women with premature ovarian failure (POF) [corrected].


METHODS
Controlled clinical study.


METHODS
Outpatients studied in the department of endocrinology of the University Hospital in Vienna.


METHODS
Twenty-four women with POF (study group) and 24 volunteers with normal ovarian cycles (control group).


METHODS
Pituitary GHRH [corrected] stimulation was performed in all women at study entry and in patients with POF after 1, 6, and 12 months of standard oral HRT. Blood samples were collected from 15 minutes before to 120 minutes after GHRH administration [corrected]. Body weight also was evaluated.


RESULTS
No differences in baseline and stimulated serum GH were found either between POF women and controls or in POF women during HRT. Women with POF without HRT had significantly higher IGF-I levels; a reduction in circulating IGF-I levels occurred during HRT. Body weight remained stable.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results show the following: [1] Women with POF have similar Gh secretion patterns as healthy age-matched women; [2] physiologic HRT has no impact on GHRH-induced [corrected] GH stimulation; and [3] HRT has no impact on body weight in women with POF.
Hartmann
B W
BW
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Vienna General Hospital, Austria.
Kirchengast
S
S
Albrecht
A
A
Huber
J C
JC
Söregi
G
G
D000328:Adult; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D016649:Primary Ovarian Insufficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012016:Reference Values; D013997:Time Factors
D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D004958:Estradiol; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone