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GLUCAGON RESPONSE TO ARGININE IN GROWTH HORMONE DEFICIENT CHILDREN BEFORE AND AFTER TREATMENT WITH GROWTH HORMONE AND IN CHILDREN WITH NON‐ENDOCRINE SHORT STATURE
Author(s) -
LEVITSKY LYNNE L.,
UEHARA JANE A.,
MARCHICHOW JO ANN,
DUMBOVIC NIVES
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
clinical endocrinology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.055
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1365-2265
pISSN - 0300-0664
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2265.1978.tb02184.x
Subject(s) - endocrinology , medicine , glucagon , arginine , endocrine system , hormone , short stature , growth hormone treatment , insulin , basal (medicine) , growth hormone , biology , biochemistry , amino acid
SUMMARY In order to assess the role of growth hormone in the modulation of alpha cell function, the plasma pancreatic glucagon response to intravenous arginine (0.5 g/kg) was determined in thirty‐two children with non‐endocrine short stature and in eighteen growth hormone deficient children. 60 min after arginine infusion, the growth hormone deficient children had significantly higher ( P <0.05) plasma glucagon values than the children with non‐endocrine short stature. Following short‐term growth hormone therapy (2 iu qd or bid for 5 days) in eleven of these growth hormone deficient children, plasma pancreatic glucagon response to arginine was diminished, and there was a significantly ( P <0.02) more rapid return to basal values than in the untreated group. The same trends persisted after long‐term growth hormone therapy (2 iu three times per week for 12–30 months) in ten children but were not statistically significant. We conclude that growth hormone may play a role in modulating plasma pancreatic glucagon response. The persistent glucagon response to arginine noted in growth hormone deficient children might reflect a greater gluconeogenic stress imposed upon these children during fasting or decreased catabolism of glucagon in the growth hormone deficient state.