Horm Metab Res 1987; 19(8): 348-352
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-1011821
ORIGINALS

© Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart · New York

Physiological Relationships Between Growth Hormone Level, Glycemia and Metabolic Control in Dogs

A. M. Albisser, M. Nomura, M. Schulz, A. Bahoric, M. Kubota, F. J. Holland
  • Divisions of Biomedical Research and Endocrinology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Further Information

Publication History

1986

1986

Publication Date:
14 March 2008 (online)

Summary

This study was undertaken to explore the physiological relationships between fasting glycemia, antecedent glycemic control and fasting growth hormone levels in pancreatectomized dogs. In contrast to other studies, we used continuous intravenous infusions of insulin in an attempt not only to normalize fasting plasma glycemia but also to eliminate the characteristic fluctuations of diabetes usually encountered in the postprandial and postabsorptive periods. For comparison, a similar group of healthy animals served as normal controls.

In the healthy dogs, fasting growth hormone (GH) levels were stable and well within normal limits for this species, demonstrating an overall mean±SD of 2.50±0.46 ng/ml. In the pancreatectomized group as a whole, the fasting GH levels were significantly elevated (4.63±2.42 ng/ml, P < 0.01) and significantly (P < 0.001) more variable than in the controls.

Multiple regression and analysis of variance confirmed the expected significant positive correlation between fasting GH and fasting plasma glucose levels, but also elucidated a heretofore unknown direct relationship between fasting GH levels and the preceding instability of glycemic control.

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