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On the Aetiology of Hypertrophic Pulmonary Osteoarthropathy in Bronchogenic Carcinoma: Lack of Relationship to Elevated Growth Hormone Levels
Author(s) -
Ennis G. C.,
Cameron D. P.,
Burger H. G.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.596
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1445-5994
pISSN - 0004-8291
DOI - 10.1111/j.1445-5994.1973.tb03969.x
Subject(s) - medicine , etiology , hypertrophic osteoarthropathy , pathological , carcinoma , bronchogenic carcinoma , lung cancer , spinal osteoarthropathy , lung , endocrinology , growth hormone , hormone , cancer , gastroenterology , pathology
Summary: The hypothesis that growth hormone (GH) may be of aetiological importance in hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy (HPO) and clubbing of the fingers in carcinoma of the lung has been examined. Plasma GH was measured after the oral administration of glucose in 49 patients with carcinoma of the lung with and without HPO and clubbing and the levels were compared with those in age matched control subjects. GH levels were higher in male patients with cancer at 90 and 120 minutes after glucose. In 53% of patients with cancer, GH failed to suppress below 5 ng/ml 90 minutes after glucose, compared with 24% of controls ( p < 0.005). There was no correlation between abnormalities of GH metabolism and the presence of HPO or clubbing, and it is suggested that while some tumours produce GH or a G H‐like substance, it is not responsible for these pathological changes.