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GH response to hypoglycemia and clonidine in the GH-releasing hormone resistance syndrome

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Abstract

GH secretion by the pituitary is the result of the balance between the stimulatory effect of GHRH and the inhibitory effect of SS. Patients with mutations in GHRH receptor (GHRH-R) gene (GHRH-R) offer a unique model to study the mechanism of action of different GH secretion stimuli. In the past, we have demonstrated a small but significant GH response to a GH secretagogue (GHRP-2) in a homogenous cohort of patients with severe GH deficiency (GHD) due to a homozygous null mutation in GHRH-R (IVS1+1G→A). Now, we sought to determine if we could detect a GH response to hypoglycemia (ITT: insulin tolerance test) or clonidine (CL) in these patients. Nine young GHD subjects underwent both ITT and CL tests, and 2 additional subjects underwent only CL test. There was a small but significant GH increase during ITT, but not during CL test. These results indicate that a minimal albeit significant GH response to ITT can occur despite complete lack of GHRH-R function.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Endocrinology, Johns Hopkins University, 1830 East Monument St. #333, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA

    R. Salvatori MD

  2. Department of Endocrinology, Federal University of Sergipe, Rua Cláudio Batista s/n, Aracaju, Brazil

    M. G. Serpa, A. V. O. Britto, J. L. M. Oliveira, C. R. P. Oliveira, C. M. Prado, C. T. Farias, J. C. Almeida, T. A. R. Vicente & M. H. Aguiar-Oliveira

  3. Departments of Oncology and Biostatistics, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA

    G. Parmigiani

Authors
  1. R. Salvatori MD
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  2. M. G. Serpa
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  3. G. Parmigiani
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  4. A. V. O. Britto
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  5. J. L. M. Oliveira
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  6. C. R. P. Oliveira
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  7. C. M. Prado
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  8. C. T. Farias
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  9. J. C. Almeida
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  10. T. A. R. Vicente
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  11. M. H. Aguiar-Oliveira
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Correspondence to R. Salvatori MD.

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Salvatori, R., Serpa, M.G., Parmigiani, G. et al. GH response to hypoglycemia and clonidine in the GH-releasing hormone resistance syndrome. J Endocrinol Invest 29, 805–808 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03347374

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03347374

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