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Serum osteocalcin and bone isoenzyme alkaline phosphatase in growth hormone-deficient patients: Dose-response studies with biosynthetic human GH

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Summary

Serum osteocalcin and bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP) were measured in samples drawn at 8 a.m. in 7 patients with GH deficiency treated with recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) (2 IU/day subcutaneously at 8 p.m.), and 7 normal controls. Patients treated with 2 IU/day had lower BAP than controls (P<0.05). Further, increasing doses of rhGH were given subcutaneously to each of the 7 patients for 3 consecutive 14-day periods (2, 4, and 6 IU/day at 8 p.m.) followed by 14 days off treatment. At the end of each period, the patient was hospitalized for frequent blood sampling from 8 p.m. to 11 a.m. the following day. A dose-dependent increase in area under the curve (AUC) was seen for osteocalcin (P<0.05), whereas the increase in AUC for BAP just failed to reach significance (P<0.10). The nocturnal patterns of serum osteocalcin in patients on 4 and 6 IU/day were statistically indistinguishable from those in controls. During treatment with 2 IU/day and the off-treatment period, the pattern was significantly different from controls (P<0.05). In conclusion, rhGH has a dose-dependent effect on basal osteoblastic activity and the nocturnal pattern of osteocalcin. Serum osteocalcin increases within hours following rhGH administration. However, 2 IU/day is inadequate to maintain normal levels and nocturnal variation in markers of osteoblastic activity.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Aarhus Amtssygehus, DK-8000, Aarhus C, Denmark

    Henning K. Nielsen & Kim Brixen

  2. Institute of Experimental Clinical Research, Second University Clinic of Medicine, Aarhus Kommunehospital, Denmark

    Jens O. L. Jørgensen & Jens S. Christiansen

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  1. Henning K. Nielsen
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  2. Jens O. L. Jørgensen
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  3. Kim Brixen
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  4. Jens S. Christiansen
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Nielsen, H.K., Jørgensen, J.O.L., Brixen, K. et al. Serum osteocalcin and bone isoenzyme alkaline phosphatase in growth hormone-deficient patients: Dose-response studies with biosynthetic human GH. Calcif Tissue Int 48, 82–87 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02555871

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02555871

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