[Growth hormone secretion following administration of growth hormone releasing hormone in constitutional short stature and idiopathic growth hormone deficiency].
Butenandt. O O; Kiess. W W
Key Findings
- GRF‑1‑29 (1 µg/kg) reliably stimulates GH release in normal children.
- Children with idiopathic GH deficiency show a significantly lower GH response on average.
- A notable subset of GH‑deficient children (6 of 24) still produce a normal GH spike, making the test non‑diagnostic for individuals.
Practical Outcomes
- For self‑experimenters, the data suggest GRF‑1‑29 can boost GH levels, but the response is highly variable and not a reliable way to diagnose GH deficiency. It offers limited guidance for dosing or protocol design beyond confirming that the peptide has a GH‑releasing effect.
Summary
The study tested a tiny dose of the peptide GRF‑1‑29 in kids with different types of short stature. It showed that the peptide can make growth hormone (GH) rise, but the rise is much smaller in kids who truly lack GH. However, some GH‑deficient kids still had a normal GH spike, so the test isn’t reliable for telling who has a GH problem.
Abstract
A stimulation test using 1 microgram growth-hormone-releasing factor (GRF 1-29 X NH2)/kg bodyweight was performed in children with familial short stature and in children with constitutional delay of growth and development. The GH secretion induced by this means was not different in these groups, but there was a difference in the response between normal children and children with idiopathic growth hormone deficiency (GHD). GH secretion after GRF administration was significantly lower in the GHD group than in the other groups. However, 6 of 24 patients with GHD responded to the test with a normal increase in GH (greater than 10 ng/ml), and 11 with an intermediate response (2-10 ng/ml). Thus, the test does not differentiate individual patients with defective growth hormone secretion from normal short children.
Study Information
pubmed
1987