Evaluation of growth hormone stimulation tests in cured acromegalic patients.
We have evaluated the GH peak response to insulin tolerance test (ITT) and to GHRH+arginine in 11 patients cured of acromegaly after treatment with surgery/radiotherapy and compared them to a control group matched for age and sex. GH peak response was significantly higher in the control group than in the patient group (11.21+/-6.98 vs. 4.46+/-6.90 ng/ml, p=0.010). Seven patients had a GH peak response of less than 3 ng/ml, compatible with the diagnosis of GH deficiency. Peak GH response after GHRH+arginine was significantly lower in the group of patients with GH peak of less than 3 ng/ml during ITT as compared to the group with GH peak of more than 3 ng/ml, and in all cases the diagnosis of GH deficiency was confirmed. Mean IGF-I level was not different between the patients and controls, as well as between patients with and without GH deficiency diagnosed by the stimulation tests.


CONCLUSIONS
The incidence of GHD diagnosed by stimulation tests is high in patients cured of acromegaly.
Conceição
Flavia Lucia
FL
Department of Endocrinology M, Aarhus University Hospital, Kommunehospitalet, Aarhus DK-8000, Denmark. endocrinologia@hucff.ufrj.br
Fisker
Sanne
S
Andersen
Marianne
M
Kaal
Andreas
A
Jørgensen
Jens Otto Lunde
JO
Vaisman
Mario
M
Christiansen
Jens Sandahl
JS
D000172:Acromegaly / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001120:Arginine / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical
D007328:Insulin; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone; D001120:Arginine