title: Effect of long-term treatment with recombinant human growth hormone on erythropoietin secretion in an anemic patient with panhypopituitarism.
abstract: We studied the effect of treatment with recombinant human GH in an anemic patient with panhypopituitarism in which hemoglobin (Hb) concentration remained as low as 11.0 g/dl in spite of appropriate replacement with thyroid and adrenocortical hormones. Recombinant human GH was subcutaneously and constantly infused for 12 months using a portable syringe pump at a rate of 0.25 U/kg/week. After the treatment with human GH plasma erythropoietin (EPO) levels increased from 12.2 to 25.1 mIU/ml, with a concomitant increase of Hb concentration to 13.6 g/dl. When the administration of human GH was interrupted, both plasma EPO levels and Hb concentrations decreased. There was a close correlation between plasma GH and EPO levels before and during the human GH administration (y=2.444x+1 3.423, r=0.641, p<0.05). Plasma GH levels were well correlated with Hb concentrations before and during human GH administration (y=0.529x+11.313, r=0.690, p<0.01). Plasma IGF4 levels were also correlated with Hb concentrations (y=0.007x+10.874, r=0.832, p<0.001), but not with plasma EPO levels. These findings suggest that GH treatment may be useful in anemic patients with panhypopituitarism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Shimane Medical University, Izumo, Japan. motoi@shimane-med.ac.jp
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sohmiya
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kato
mesh_terms: D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007018:Hypopituitarism / Q000150:complications*; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D004921:Erythropoietin; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I