Abstract
Sleep-associated hGH secretion was measured in 28 healthy controls and 218 children with endocrine disorders. HGH was determined every 30 min.through 5.5 hrs. Here only total hGH secretion is reported.
Results. 1) In the controls in puberty stage P 1, (x ± S) for hGH was 4350 ± 1134, P 2 5905 ± 2536, P 3/4 9904 ± 1710 ng/ml × 5.5 hrs. Evidently, puberty induces a rapid increase of spontaneous hGH-secretion. 2) In 48 children (P 1) with pituitary dwarfism total hGH secretion was 934 ± 468 ng. 3) In 123 children with constitutional delay of growth and adolescence, total secretion in P 1, P 2 and P 3/4 was reduced by 43; 43; 67 %, resp., compared to controls. Differences were statist. highly significant. Hence, constitutional delay is caused by decreased spontaneous hGH secretion. 4) 6 of 10 children with IUGR showed values within (x ± 2 S), 4 values < (x - 2 S). IUGR is apparently no uniform disorder. 5) In 24 girls with Turner's syndrome, (x ± S) was 2018 ± 1240 ng. In 17 girls total secretion was <(x - 2 S) of the control group. 6) 3 girls with chronic inflammatory diseases under prednisone therapy had a total hGH secretion of 280; 595; 673 ng. Cessation of treatment caused normalization. Evidently corticoids strongly suppress spontaneous hGH-secretion. 7) In 9 children with severe obesity, 5 of them with Prader-Willi-syndrome, total hGH-secretion was 532 ± 275 ng - with no differences between simple obesity and PWS. Low hGH-secretion in PWS is rather due to excessive obesity than to impaired growth.
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bierich, J., Brogmann, G. & Schippert, R. 37 ASSESSMENT OF SLEEP-ASSOCIATED HGH SECRETION IN NORMAL CHILDREN AND IN ENDOCRINE DISORDERS. Pediatr Res 19, 609 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198506000-00057
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198506000-00057