Abstract
Seven children with growth hormone deficiency of hypothalamic origin responded to an i.v. bolus of growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) (1–29)-NH2 with a mean serum increase of 10.7 ng/ml growth hormone (GH) (range 2.5–29.3 ng/ml). Continuous s.c. administration of GHRH of 4–6 μg/kg twice daily for at least 6 months did not improve the growth rate in five of the patients. One patient increased his growth rate from 1.9 to 3.8 cm/year and another from 3.5 to 8.2 cm/year; however, the growth rate of the latter patient then decreased to 5.4 cm/year. When treatment was changed to recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) in a dose of 2 U/m2 daily, given s.c. at bedtime, the growth rate improved in all patients to a mean of 8.5 cm/year (range: 6.2 to 14.6). Presently GHRH cannot be recommended for the routine therapy of children with growth hormone deficiency since a single daily dose of rhGH produced catch-up growth which GHRH therapy did not.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- GH:
-
growth hormone
- GHD:
-
growth hormone deficiency
- GHRH:
-
growth hormone releasing hormone
- hGH:
-
human growth hormone
- rhGH:
-
recombinant human growth hormone
- SM C/IGF I:
-
somatomedin C/insulin-like growth factor I
References
Albertsson-Wikland K, Isaksson O, Rosberg S, Westphal O (1983) Secretory pattern of growth hormone in children of different growth rates. Acta Endocrinol 103 [Suppl] 256: 72
Belchetz PE, Weldon, SF, Davis, JC, Diver MJ, Smith CS, Harris F (1984) Potential uses of human pancreatic growth hormonereleasing factor 1–44 amide. Clin Endocrinol 21:201–208
Borges JLC, Blizzard RM, Gelato MC, Furlanetto R, Rogol AD, Evans WS, Vance ML, Kaiser DL, MacLeod RM, Merriam GR, Loriaux DL, Spiess DL, Vale W, Thorner MO (1983) Effects of human pancreatic tumour growth hormone releasing factor on growth hormone and somatomedin C levels in patients with idiopathic growth hormone deficiency. Lancet II:119–124
Butenandt O, Kiess W (1987) Wachstumshormon-Sekretion nach Growth-Hormone-Releasing-Hormone-Gabe bei konstitutioneller Mindergröße und idiopathischem Wachstumshormonmangel. Monatsschr Kinderheilkd 135:114–115
Butenandt O, Emmlinger M, Doerr H (1986) Single, and repeated testing of growth hormone secretory capacity in hypopituitarism using growth hormone releasing factor. Acta Endocrinol [Suppl] 178:118–121
Christiansen JS, Orskov H, Binder C, Kastrup KW (1983) Imitation of normal plasma growth hormone profile by subcutaneous administration of human growth hormone to growth hormone deficient children. Acta Endocrinol (Copenh) 102:6–10
Evans WAS, Borges JLC, Kaiser DL, Vance ML, Sellers RP, MacLeod RM, Vale W, Rivier J, Thorner MO (1983) Intranasal administration of human pancreatic tumor GH-releasing factor-40 stimulates GH release in normal men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 57:1081–1083
Finkelstein JW, Rofwarg HP, Boyar RM, Kream J, Hellman L (1972) Age-related change in the twenty-four-hour spontaneous secretion of growth hormone. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 35:665–670
Frasier SD, Costin G, Lippe BM, Aceto T, Bunger PF (1981) A dose response curve for human growth hormone. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 53:1213
Grossman A, Lytras N, Savage MO, Wass JAH, Coy DH, Rees LH, Jones AE, Besser GM (1984) Growth hormone releasing factor: comparison of two analogues and demonstration of hypothalamic defect in growth hormone release after radiotherapy. Br Med J 288:1785–1787
Grossman A, Savage MO, Lytras N, Preece MA, Sueiras-Diaz J, Coy DH, Rees LH, Besser GM (1984) Responses to analogues of growth hormone-releasing hormone in normal subjects, and in growth-hormone deficient children and young adults. Clin Endocrinol 21:321–330
Katakami H, Arimura A, Frohman LA (1986) Growth hormone (GH)-releasing factor stimulates hypothalamic somatostatin release: an inhibitory feedback effect on GH secretion. Endocrinology 118:1872–1877
Rochiccioli PE, Tauber MT, Coude FX, Arnone M, Morre M, Uboldi F, Barbeau C (1987) Results of 1-year growth hormone (GH)-releasing hormone (1–44) treatment on growth, somatomedin C, and 24-hour GH secretion in six children with partial GH deficiency. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 65:268–274
Rogol AD, Blizzard RM, Johanson AJ, Furlanetto RW, Evans WS, Rivier J, Vale N, Thorner MO, (1984) Growth hormone release in response to human pancreatic tumor growth hormone releasing hormone-1-40 in children with short stature. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 59:580–586
Ross RJM, Rodda C, Tsagarakis S, Davies PSW, Grossman A, Rees LH, Preece MA, Savage MO, Besser GM (1987) Treatment of growth-hormone deficiency with growth-hormone-releasing hormone. Lancet I:5–8
Sassolas G, Garry J, Cohen R, Batuji H, Vermeulen E, Cabrera P, Roussel B, Jouvet M (1986) Nocturnal continuous infusion of growth hormone (GH)-releasing hormone results in a dose-dependant accentuation of episodic GH secretion in normal men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 63:1016–1021
Savage MO, Besser GM (1985) Growth hormone releasing hormone. Arch Dis Child 60:405–406
Schriock EA, Lustig RH, Rosenthal SM, Kaplan SL, Grumbach MM (1984) Effect of growth hormone (GH)-releasing hormone (GRH) on plasma GH in relation to magnitude and duration of GH deficiency in 26 children and adults with isolated GH deficiency or multiple pituitary hormone deficiencies: evidence for hypothalamic GRH deficiency. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 58: 1043–1049
Takano K, Hizuka N, Shizume K, Asakawa K, Miyakawa M, Hirase N, Shibasaki T, Ling NC (1984) Plasma growth hormone (GH) response to GH-releasing factor in normal children with short stature and patients with pituitary dwarfism. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 58:236–241
Tanner JM, Whitehouse RH, Takaishi M (1966) Standards from birth to maturity for height, weight, height velocity and weight velocity: British children. Arch Dis Child 41:454–468
Thorner M, Reschke, J, Chitwood J, Rogol A, Furlanetto R, Rivier J, Vale W, Blizzard RM (1985) Acceleration of growth in two children with human growth hormone releasing factor. N Engl J Med 312:4–9
Thorner MO, Rogol AD, Martha P, Chitwood JS, Klingensmith GJ, Burr I, Najjar J, Reichlin S, Smith P, Brook C, Rivier J, Vale WW, Blizzard RM (1987) The potential of GRF as a therapeutic agent in children with short stature. Pediatr Adolesc Endocrinol 16:246–256
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
On the occasion of the 85th birthday of Prof. Dr.Dr.h.c. mult. Adolf Butenandt
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Butenandt, O., Staudt, B. Comparison of growth hormone releasing hormone therapy and growth hormone therapy in growth hormone deficiency. Eur J Pediatr 148, 393–395 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00595894
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00595894