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Comparison of single and combined tests for the evaluation of plasma growth hormone secretion in normal short children

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Abstract

Growth hormone (GH) response to provocative tests was compared in normal short children. Seven of 23 children failed to respond to insulin hypoglycemia. Using insulin hypoglycemia followed by L-dopa only 2 of 23 children did not respond and giving bromocriptine coimbined with insulin hypoglycemia only 1 of 8 children failed to respond. All children submitted to propranolol followed by exercise (n= 14) and to bromocriptine followed by exercise (n = 6) responded with a satisfactory increase in plasma GH levels. The increase elicited by propranolol and exercise was higher than that induced by insulin hypoglycemia alone (p < 0.005), exercise alone (p < 0.05) or L-dopa after insulin hypoglycemia (p < 0.01). The rise of GH induced by bromocriptine and exercise was higher than that obtained with insulin hypoglycemia alone (p < 0.05). This study suggests that both adrenergic and dopaminergic mechanisms are involved in exercise induced GH release and confirms that combined tests are more useful than a single test to evaluate GH secretion.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinologicas, Hospital de Niños, Gallo 1330, 1425, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Maria Cristina Bazán, H. Domené, J. J. Heinrich, M. Barontini & S. Bergadá

Authors
  1. Maria Cristina Bazán
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  2. H. Domené
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  3. J. J. Heinrich
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  4. M. Barontini
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  5. S. Bergadá
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Bazán, M.C., Domené, H., Heinrich, J.J. et al. Comparison of single and combined tests for the evaluation of plasma growth hormone secretion in normal short children. J Endocrinol Invest 7, 295–298 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03351005

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03351005

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