Summary
We administered growth-hormone releasing hormone (GHRH), clonidine or thyrotropin-releasing
hormone (TRH) as intravenous boli each in three different randomized mornings to nine
well-controlled Type 1 diabetic men and to six age-matched healthy men who served
as controls. GHRH and clonidine evoked a prompt and brisk GH release both in diabetic
and in control subjects with no significant difference being evident between the two
groups. Only one diabetic subject showed a paradoxical GH release after TRH when he
was under long-term poor metabolic control.
These results indicate that in insulin-dependent patients with good control of the
metabolic disease the response of somatotropes to pituitary- or central nervous system-directed
stimuli is normal. These data are supportive of the idea that altered GH secretion
in Type 1 diabetes rather than reflecting a primary hypothalamic and/or pituitary
alteration may be a state-dependent phenomenon related to the metabolic state of the
disease.
Key-Words
Growth-Hormone Releasing Hormone
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Clonidine
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hGH
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Diabetes Mellitus
