title: Increased growth hormone response to clonidine in nonobese normoinsulinemic patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess growth hormone (GH) levels in response to acute clonidine stimulation in nonobese patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in comparison to patients with idiopathic hirsutism (IH) and normal women without hirsutism.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study. Outpatient clinic, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen patients with PCOS, 11 women with IH, and 10 age- and weight-matched normal women without hirsutism were studied. All subjects presented normal body mass index (<25 kg/m(2)) and insulin levels (<25 microIU/mL).
  
  
  METHODS
  Growth hormone levels were assessed in all patients before and 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes after oral administration of 0.3 mg of clonidine.
  
  
  METHODS
  Growth hormone levels before and after clonidine administration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Delta GH and GH levels at 30, 60, and 120 minutes were significantly higher in the PCOS group than in the IH and control groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The greater GH response to clonidine in nonobese normoinsulinemic PCOS patients observed in this study suggests a dysregulation in GH secretion in these patients. Further studies are required to elucidate the role of GH in the pathogenesis of PCOS and to investigate the existence of an association between androgens, IGF-I, and GH modulation in PCOS.
authors.affiliation: Gynecological Endocrinology Unit, Division of Endocrinology, Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fábio Vasconcellos
authors.initials: FV
authors.lastname: Comim
authors.forename: Poli Mara
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Spritzer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003000:Clonidine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006628:Hirsutism / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology; D010060:Ovulation; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D012016:Reference Values; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D013739:Testosterone; D003000:Clonidine